Oh Teacher!
by Tally Mai-chan
Summary: Marineford Academy was never one of those ordinary schools. For an institution that heralds the bright minds that will rule the world we live in, it means you have to be the best of the best. Or does it? AU High School EVERY OP character.
1. Oh Teacher! Hancock's first day!

Tally Mai-chan: I have envisioned this story since last year and I finally got around to writing it! My other long fic 'Eustass Kid's hunt for a man' is ending soon so I figured I'd get a jump start on my next big story.

I am in a real big need for a beta-reader. I need someone who can give me harsh criticism, and tell me what's bad and what's good. I really need someone!

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Oh Teacher! Hancock's first day!

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If you were to ask any one in the world, "Where do all our great people and leaders come from?" you can be guaranteed that they would say Marineford Academy.

The school, as old as known history since after the Void Century, resides on a peninsula in the Red Line. Shaped like a E with a tip coming up from it's bottom line and a square tumor off it's back (the principles office). That was the grounds of the school surrounded by a tall barbed wire fence.

South of the school, a garden lovingly tended to by students and beyond that the two, three story dorms. One for girls and the other for boys, an open space of grass between the two. The teachers lived in their own houses off grounds in the town of Shabondy five miles away from the school, whose only connection with this grand school a meandering dirt road.

The most notable thing about this school, besides it's students was a forest twice as large as all the school's grounds. Don't believe for a moment that this was a normal forest. Demons lived there, giving powers to those who could defeat them in combat. Ancient Ruins with clues to the mysterious Void Century are rumored to reside there as well, lost to humanity for all of time, though no one knows for sure.

Today, the first day of school, a new teacher arrives on Campus with questionable morals.

Boa Hancock flipped her hair behind her shoulder, the wind persistently blowing it back over. It gave her a sense of power to watch men gawk at her, to forget everything around them and stare, transfixed. She was their angel, gracing them with her presence. Even the girls stopped to admire her, dreaming of obtaining her body, starving themselves to do so.

The school bell rang and students rushed to class, many hesitating to glance at her. Hancock felt no pressure by the bell, she was a teacher and thus perfectly acceptable for her to be late. She could envision her new life here, beautiful young boys fawning over her, begging for her attention. Grown men pampering her with gifts and praise. She could do what ever she wanted, get what ever she wanted. Why? Because she is beautiful.

Walking into the room, the rowdy class of twenty froze at the sight of her. Tall and slender wearing a red dress on top of a white blouse, the collar spread wide open to show cleavage. Her smile beguiling.

"Hello class, I am your English teacher, Boa Hancock. Treat me kindly" To finish her love trap she added a wink at the end. Every single boy jumped from their seats, hooting and cheering, the girls swooning in their chairs. She had the whole class captivated, all but one student sitting in the back corner.

He had messy black hair and a scar under his left eye. A goofy grin on his face as he snored softly, mouth rudely wide open.

"Boy!" Hancock shouted, annoyed that someone would sleep while she talked. "Wake up and pay attention!"

"D-don't do that!" A girl in the front row whispered urgently. "That's Monkey D. Luffy! He's a member of the school gang.!"

"I heard he killed a freshman last her." A boy whispered.

"He's a monster!" Another girl shouted.

"Nonsense!" Hancock dismissed their concerns. No man could resist her, certainly not this monkey boy. Standing before the boy's desk she took a book from another student and slammed it down on the hard wood. The sharp noise startled several students but did nothing to wake the sleeping boy.

"Wake up!" She screamed, slapping the boy across the cheek, desired results almost instantaneous.

"OW!" Monkey D. Luffy shouted, jumping back and falling out his chair, smacking the hard floor. He rubbed his sore cheek.

"How dare you sleep in my class!" Hancock shrilled, looking so far down upon Luffy that she was looking up, finger pointing at him. "I am your teacher! And you must give me your full attention!"

"Oh?" Luffy casually cocked his head, studying her. He didn't blush or look away from her transfixing beauty in coy shyness, he didn't react the way men should react to her. "Nice to meet you teacher." He bowed respectfully, picking up his chair and taking his seat. "Good night." And he promptly fell back asleep.

Hancock bit her lips as bitter rage flooded her. There was no way, no possible way that his boy could look at her beauty and then fall asleep! She raised her hand to strike him once more when her student's begged her to stop.

"Leave him alone Miss. Hancock!" They pleaded. "He's nothing but bad news!"

Hancock's hand wavered in the air and she grudgingly let it go, for now. She had a job to do after all. But this was far from over, and as she walked to the front of the room, writing on the chalkboard what the class will be studying over the course of the year, she decided that she will do whatever it takes to make him succumb to her. For there was no man in the world who could resist her charms.

"And besides," A boy continued. "He says he's going to be pirate king!"

Thus the prelude to the new school year of Marineford Academy and possibly, it's last.

"So many new students, so many old oneees." Principle Kizaru chuckled as he skimmed the student registry.

"I can't believe you let that gang come back." Dean of Discipline, Akainu growled. "They'll cause nothing but trouble the whole year!"

"Now, now Sakazuki. They are reeeeaaaally bright kids! I have a hunch that this new year will open new oppertuuunities to them and they'll mature for suuuuure."

"You're a damned fool Borsalino. If they tarnish this school's reputation..."

Kizaru sighed, straightening the papers before setting them down. "So you've heard."

"Yeah, I've heard. And I don't like it one bit. This school year is critical. If one scandal or stunt gets blown out it will be the end of the school."

Kizaru pushed back from his desk, turning around to gaze out the windows open to the Devil's Forest, lost in thoughts. He smiled. "We have to put faith in their dreams Sakazuki. They're young so they dream big, unlike an old man like me."

"Dreams." Akainu grunted, but completely agreeing. There was no greater force in this world than a man's dreams. Something proven to him long ago by two brave, and very stupid men. In pensive silence they sat, anticipating the exciting, and dangerous year before them.

Watch as dreams unfold in his never before heard tale! This is,

Oh Teacher!

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Tally Mai-chan: What up? It's a One Piece high school fic! Review if you like and review if you hate! Either way drop a review, I love getting them! And please! If you are a beta-reader, I need you!


	2. Day two, can we survive?

Tally Mai-chan: Chapter two and things heat up! I still need a beta-reader! Please! If you are out there waiting for someone to beta for then please send me a message!

Chapter 2: Day two, can we survive?

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Monkey D. Luffy ran from the dorm, half a piece of buttered toast clenched between his teeth. His shirt untucked and missing his tie. His socks didn't match and he wore black slip on shoes because he didn't have the time to put on his dress shoes. The first bell rang and he put on a burst of speed.

Sanji waited for him by the gate. "Hurry it up Luffy! Hotdog Akainu can come back any second!"

"I'm coming!" Luffy shouted, finishing his toast, and charged through the open gate, closed immediately after by Sanji.

"Cutting it close this morning?" Sanji teased, running beside Luffy. "What class do you have first anyways?"

"Eh?" Luffy slowed to a jog as he thought. "Math, no, it's uh... uh... oh! It's English. The teacher is really weird. Her name is strange too, Boa Hammocku or something."

"Eh? You mean Boa Hancock! So then you got the new teacher that's a total babe!" Sanij coed, his eyes turning into pink hearts. "Soooooo luuuucky! I wish she was my English teacher, I'd misbehave everyday just so I can have detention with her."

They stopped at the front doors to catch their breath. This was where they parted, going to different sides of the building.

"It's only the second day, Luffy." Sanji patted his fellow class man on the shoulder. "Don't kill yourself!"

"See ya Sanji!" Luffy grinned and they parted ways. Luffy ran through the hallways, dodging around lingering teens and busy teachers. In a second the halls were cleared, everyone going into their rooms as if synchronized, and the second bell rang.

"Craap!" Luffy huffed, his class more than a few feet away. Barreling into the class he knocked face first into something soft. That something 'soft' was his teacher's breasts.

"Foolish boy!" Hancock growled, a dark shadow falling across her eyes. "How dare you smother your ugly face against my breasts!"

"I didn't mean too!" Luffy shouted, pulling his head back. "Please don't mark me as absent! Grandpa will kill me if I'm ever late to a class!"

"Take your seat!" Hancock ordered, straightening her black blouse.

Luffy hung his head, already imagining the cruel punishments his grandpa would inflict upon him for a single absence. It didn't even matter that it was the second day of school. Late is late, and being late is inexcusable.

Hancock started her lesson, giving the class notes on literary devices. Luffy didn't pay attention, pirates didn't care about things like proper grammar or literary whats-its. If anything they sounded like the names of food. He wondered if metaphors were made of ham or pork. He wasn't sure, he'd have to ask Sanji about it later.

"Luffy! Give me an example of a metaphor!" Hancock said suddenly, pointing at him.

He sat forward in his seat, scratching his head. "I don't know, is it made of pork or ham?"

The class suppressed their giggles. A few boys whispered to each other, was this guy for real? Luffy was oblivious to it all, too lost in his own thoughts and musings. He really wanted to know now. Metaphor sounded like a sandwich name, so it had to be pork. Since ham is used in hamburgers, but ham can be used in sandwiches too.

"This is not cooking class!" Hancock snapped, turning on the class, "Quiet! Obviously you know nothing boy! An example would be 'I am sickeningly beautiful.' The two unlike things being sickeningly, and beautiful."

"Eh?" Luffy was lost now, "So it's not a sandwich?"

"Detention!" Hancock opened the top drawer in her desk, withdrawing the white detention slip, and signing it with a flourish. "Come back here after school immediately! Take this note as a reminder, and don't you dare try to skip out!"

"Detention!" Luffy whined, pocketing the note. "Gramps will really kill me now." He slumped onto his desk, thoughts of happiness fleeing for their lives. Happiness and Grandpa, two words that were the antithesis of the another.

Class was tedious, Hancock calling on him for every question, he didn't understand why she was so interested in him. He thought teachers were supposed to treat students fairly, giving everyone equal attention but she only focused on him. It didn't matter what the other students did or say.

He was just starting to think he said something bad when the bell calling the end of first period rang. He promised Nami he would walk with her to their next class but he should apologize to his teacher first.

Hancock glowered at the clock, blaming it for the short amount of time she had with this problem boy in her class. Why, why, why! Never in her life was she ever ignored by any man or boy. Why now? Her high backed chair welcomed her without constraint as she relaxed into the soft leather. It was a gift from the principle, a good luck present.

"Ms. Teacher." Luffy ran up to her desk, resting his hands on the edge. "I'm sorry." And he bowed his head respectfully for five seconds, she knew because she counted. "See you tomorrow!" He shouted and ran out of the classroom, meeting up with an orange haired girl.

Hancock stood up from her chair, and flung it across the room, the wood smashing against the stone wall and chips of wood flying everywhere.

_How dare he!_ She seethed, hands trembling with bursting anger. He just thinks he can simply apologize for ignoring her! Insolence! When men apologized to her they begged for forgiveness on their knees!

No, that boy... he bowed his head for a few seconds then ran off with some orange bimbo! It was unforgivable! Intolerable! Despicable.

* * *

"And you don't know what you did?" Nami asked as they took their seats in History. Luffy told her about about the unfair treatment his English teacher gave him. "Then why did you apologize?"

"Because, then whatever I did to make her mad would be forgiven."

Nami sighed. "You moron, don't apologize if you don't know what you are apologizing for! It makes you sound insincere."

"Oh?" Luffy didn't really think about her words, "I guess your right. Then after school I'll ask what I did wrong and apologize!"

"You just don't get it." Nami shook her head. Men will never understand a woman's heart.

Their History teacher wasn't in the classroom and the class was taking advantage of this rare chance. Everyone tried to talk above each other for their own private conversations and a few boys looked like they were about to start a fight. The door opened and a tall woman with long curly white hair walked in. Dressed in black, casual slacks and a tan collared shirt, with decorative gold charms, of Egyptian origin, hanging around her neck.

"Hello, Mr. Capone?" She looked around the class, everyone quiet with respect for the other history teacher. "Dose anyone know where he went?"

"He said he had to go the office to get something." A girl said. "He should be back in ten minutes."

"That's Nico Oliva!" Nami whispered to Luffy. "Robins mom! This is the first time I've ever seen her in person! Robin showed me some pictures but she's so much more pretty in person."

Luffy stared at Nico Olivia in open awe. Robin told stories about her mother, and all the adventures she had embarked on. They inspired his desire to be a pirate ten fold. Then he'd he have a whole bunch of amazing tales of adventure to share with his friends.

He vaguely remembered something about new teachers.

Then he remembered. There were to be six new teachers at the Academy that year. Boa Hancock and Nico Olivia were two of those six. Luffy's grandpa talked about it a month ago during the summer, one humid night in July. Grampa said a lot of things but he was too enthralled by the flying acrobatics of the seagulls to pay any attention. He did remember something being said about their education or accomplishments, exactly what Luffy couldn't hazard a guess.

Nico held out a stack of papers clasped by a black clip. "Would you give this to him for me when he comes back?"

She smiled as the girl accepted and told the class to behave as she walked out the door.

"I should have said something." Nami pouted, she just had to know how Nico Olivia got her hair so silky smooth.

"Hey Nami" Luffy asked, wanting something to do while the class waited for their teacher. "Are you going to do student council again?"

"Of course." Nami reclined in her seat, a smug look on her face. "I am the best treasurer in the school's history! Hawkins may be the smartest kid in school but he can't budget or manage money to save his life. They'd die without me and my expertize."

"Student Council meetings last year were a blast!" Luffy commented, remembering the food provided by the culinary club at every meeting.

"Luffy!" Nami gave him a stern glare. "Those meetings are for student council members only! You need to stay out! Me and Robin got into a lot of trouble last year because of you."

"Eh, but the food was so good."

"Then join the culinary club! You can eat all the food you want then."

"Really!" Luffy jumped in his seat, drooling. "All the food I want?"

"Yes!" Nami said, telling him what he wanted, because honestly, it was a waste of time to convince him otherwise. "You can make and eat all the food you want."

Luffy lost enthusiasm at the mention of the word 'make' meaning- "I have to make my own food?"

"That's the point." Nami said, a coy smile on her face. Of course... it was easy if you knew what to say.

"Then I don't want too... but maybe I can test the food! Then I can still eat and not have to make anything!"

She laughed, "You idiot."

* * *

"Hey Robin!" Luffy ran into his next class, a big grin on his face. "I saw your mom!"

Usopp looked to Robin, shocked. "Your mom is here?"

Robin smiled, "Yes, she's a history teacher here now. Did you get to talk with her Luffy?"

"No," Luffy sat down across from them. "She came into my history class looking for Mr. Capone and he wasn't there so she left."

"I wanna meet Robin's mom." Usopp mopped, being left out of the 'I meet Robin's mom' loop.

"She looks just like you Robin." Luffy laughed, Robin smiled warmly at the compliment.

The second bell rang, Second period officially starting.

"Hey, hey! Quiet down everyone!" Their Math teacher, Scratchman Apoo shouted from his desk, or rather on top of it. When students meet math teacher Apoo, it wasn't his flamboyant, Chinese style of clothes or his long, tied hair or black and white teeth that they notice about him, no. What students noticed about him was that he always stood, and taught standing on his desk, which was always clear or mess or papers.

"Teacher!" A few boys shouted, cheering. "Go teacher!"

"Alright!" Apoo clapped his hands together, the class anticipating his next words, for Math teacher Apoo always had something cool to say. "The first day is over so it's time to work!"

"Awww." The class groaned in unison, feeling obligated one more day of glorious nothing.

"Kidding!" Apoo chortled, "Who want's to work the second day of school! Naw, we'll start for real tomorrow. Today we're going to have some fun! Just out of curiosity, who already has work in other classes?"

Nearly every hand went up.

"Students shouldn't be piled with work the first few days." Apoo nodded his head sagely. "Actually... He jumped down to sit on his desk rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I lost the lesson plans for today. So it's my fault! My bad! I can't be dishonest with you guys."

"Teacher you're the best!" The students shouted, Usopp the loudest of them all. Apoo waved his hands, telling the class to cool it.

Half an hour of carefree fun consumed the class, talking to one another, playing cards, and even beat-boxing with the teacher. As Robin chatted with the other girls in the class and Luffy dared Usopp to set his farts on fire. A dare taken with pride and the boys of the class swarmed Usopp as he took matches out from his pocket.

Luffy cheered Usopp on as the lanky boy leaned over, holding the match to his butt. The door opened and a boy walked in, unnoticed by the class. Usopp licked his lips as he strained to get that perfect fart, and the teacher stopped beat boxing to watch what they were doing.

"Hey! Don't do that!" Apoo shouted when he caught on to their plan.

Too late, the flatulence let rip and a burst of fire burned Usopp's hand and the front trousers of a nearby boy. The boy jumped back, screaming as his fly caught on fire, he ran backwards into Apoo and the two stumbled to the floor. The boy howling with pain as the 'boys' started to burn.

Before anyone could do anything a tall lanky boy with long blond hair down to his knees and a blue mask over his face trampled the crotch fire beneath his foot.

"You're hurting him!" A girl shouted, watching from behind her hands.

"Oi! Oi!" Apoo shoved hot pants off him and faced the new kid. He wore the school uniform for the boys, white naval shirt with a navy blue tie, and navy blue slacks with clean black dress shoes. "You're not in my class."

"I'm transferring into this class." The blond boy said. Sparking a storm of whispers that spread like wildfire through the class, for they've seen him before. On TV. "Call me Killer."

"Killer?" Apoo thought this kid was crazy. "Don't you have a proper name?"

"No."

Apoo wasn't buying any of this. "You can't wear that-"

Killer pulled a note out of his pants pocket, shoving it into Apoo's chest. The teacher took the note and skimmed it.

"Jeez," The teacher mumbled, crumpling the note and shooting it into the waste basket. "To get permission from the principle. Alright, keep the mask."

"That's the guy that was on the news a few months ago." A girl whispered a little too loudly. Killer turned his head to face her. He didn't say anything, and he didn't have to. In a moment the girl was a nervous wreck under the pressure of his terrifying presence.

"Don't make eye contact!" Her friend whispered, pulling her back a few feet. "I heard he was forced to wear that mask because he killed everyone that made eye contact with him."

Luffy overheard the girls, merely listening, gossip was just glorified lies after all.

Killer's mask was strange, it had two rows of three circles down the front, none really lining up where eyes would be. It was all light blue except for a single band of white running from the top down, covering half of the circles. Luffy noticed that nearly everyone in the room had something to say about him, their own piece of info to add to the conglomeration of rumors.

Hearing enough he boldly walked across the room and held out his hand to Killer. "Hi! I'm Monkey D. Luffy! And I'm going to become the pirate king!"

And I'm going to become the pirate king! The phrase that made him famous his first year of school, and the starter for many, many fights. Ridicule always followed this, only his close friends truly believed in his dreams, everyone else thought he was crazy, that he was loose in the head or simply abusing his grandfathers influence. Though anybody that knew him could tell that he didn't know how to abuse his way out of a paper bag.

The class was unnervingly silent. A silence so quiet they could hear the heart beat of the person beside them.

Killer didn't move, didn't say a thing. The class watched with held breath, waiting for the next move, something serious was unfolding before them and they couldn't bear to tear away. Even if it meant they could be pulled into the mess.

Luffy grinned wider. "You're pretty cool, be my nakama!"

"Are you stupid?" Killer asked toneless, taking in the boy before him. He was taller than Luffy, and they shared the same, lanky build. Though, Killer pleasured himself with knowing, he had more muscles. Looking at the boy before him, everything told him that his kid, Luffy, was a total moron.

"I think you're cool, so let's be nakama!" Luffy said it so honestly that Killer thought he was kidding, there had to be some ulterior motive somewhere. "Why do you wear that mask? Is it because you have a scar? Cuz' that'd be really cool!"

"Luffy!" Usopp hissed from behind Robin. "What are you doing! You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I must agree with Mr. Long nose." Robin said seriously, her eyes dangerous. "He is a mysterious boy known as Killer, who supposedly killed an entire armed mob single handed."

This sparked another flurry of rumors. Killer turned on the class, shouting at everyone to shut up. Every girl but Robin backed off, a few boys following, others holding ground as a matter of pride. Robin frowned at the savage display, Usopp clung onto her more tightly, shaking at the knees.

"If I hear another rumor about me." Killer said dangerously low. "I'll-"

"Enough!" Apoo interjected, seeing things about to take a turn for the worst. "Let's all calm down. We're a class okay, which means will be with each other for a whole year so let's get along, alright? So no talking about... Killer here in class. It's insensitive and as for you, Mr. Killer, do not threaten other students in the class."

"Sure." Killer turned away, already tired of his class and his teacher. "Whatever you say."

Apoo disproved of the attitude Killer gave him. "Oi, that kind of tone is-"

"Do you really have a scar?" Luffy said suddenly. "Cuz' I don't think you do."

"I never said I had a scar!" Killer snapped at him.

"Are you sure?" Luffy said, thinking hard. He stopped thinking when his head started to hurt.

Killer's leg flashed before Luffy's eyes, everything went black and pain erupted across his face. He was sent flying back and into the wall. Blood gushing from his nose and a cut on his lip, dripping down and staining his shirt.

Neither the pain or the blood stopped him from getting back on his feet. Luffy glared at Killer, standing coolly before him. The blond dropped down, appearing immediately to Luffy's left. His leg moving to sweep Luffy off his couldn't react fast enough, Killer was going to hit him again.

Apoo jumped into the fight, hands clapping together, a noise, the sound of symbols, blasting Luffy and Killer apart.

"How?" Luffy held his throbbing ears as he picked himself up.

"A devil power." Killer said standing.

"I'll send the both of you to the infirmary in pieces if you can't get along! This is my last warning you got that! Killer, if you start another fight again you're going straight to Dean Akainu! And Luffy, any fights from you and your grandpa will hear of it!"

Luffy paled considerably, "No! Don't tell gramps! He'll kill me for sure! Please don't!"

"Alright. Now that we've settled things-"

The bell rang and students raced to the door, fighting to get out first. All with the intention of getting far, far away from Killer. Usopp escaped first, saying hasty goodbye's to Robin and Luffy.

"Luffy, do you want me to take you to the infirmary?" Robin offered, taking a look at his bloodied face. "I think your nose is broken."

"It's fine!" Luffy grinned, rubbing his sore nose, getting blood on his hand.

"At least go and change." Apoo insisted. "You can't go around the school covered in blood."

"Eh, but I can't be late for class!" Luffy said strongly, already imagining the consequences he'll face not just for a getting a detention, getting into a fight but for also for being late to class. It wasn't a pretty picture.

"I'll give you a pass so you won't be tardy." Apoo said going to his desk.

Killer brushed past Luffy and Robin, his face fixed ahead.

Robin gave him a concerned look. "He's dangerous Luffy, what were you thinking?"

"I just wanted to know him." Luffy pouted, feeling frustrated at himself. "I hate hearing rumors about people, so I thought that if I could get to know him then maybe people will see what kind of person he is and stop spreading rumors. Besides, his mask is really cool!"

"So honest." Robin laughed, she said goodbye, promising to meet up again with him for lunch and she hurried to her next class. Luffy took the pass from Apoo and ran out of the school, and ran to the gate guard, flashing his pass. The guard let him through, telling him to hurry and get his business done.

Luffy took a short cut through the garden, careful to not trample too many flowers (or the flower club would give him an earful), and raced into the boy's dorm.

The three floor dorm housed all the male students of Marineford Academy. Freshman and Sophomores stayed on the third floor, then juniors and seniors. The first floor was the commons, which girls are allowed to be in, the kitchen and the bathrooms for the whole building.

He raced up the stairs to his room at the opposite end of the long hall. At his door, he pulled the key out of his pocket when the door behind him opened.

"Hmm? Luffy?" Trafalgar Law yawned as he walked out, half heatedly dressed in his uniform, shirt wrinkled and tie not even properly made. A tattooed hand, DEATH written across the knuckles, covered his open mouth. "Why are you still here... and covered in blood?"

"Oh?" Luffy glanced at his shirt. "I got into a fight and the teacher gave me a pass so I could change. Why aren't you in class?"

"Just woke up." Law smiled, "Has lunch started?"

"It's fourth period, so yeah."

Law smiled again, waving his hand. "Cool. See you around Luffy, ya."

"Yeah!" Luffy called back and went into his room. Law was strange. He almost never went to class yet last year passed every single one of his classes with a solid B average. Which is even stranger since he has never seen Law do any kind of school work.

Rumors that he seduced or threatened his teachers were popular last year, but Law denied such things when asked.

Luffy scoured the room for clean clothes hidden under piles of trash and filthy laundry. He took his time getting changed, and actually put on his black dress shoes, left forgotten that morning by the door. Satisfied that his uniform was ship shape, for teachers were awfully picky about it, he left the dorm. And right outside was Killer. Waiting.

"Hey! Is this your lunch or something?" Luffy asked.

There were three lunch times, and what lunch you got depended upon your forth period teacher. During their lunch students were allowed roam outside the school but not beyond the fence.

"Eh," Luffy saw some blood, most likely his, on the front of Killer's shirt. "Or did your teacher make you come and-"

Killer lunged forward, dropping his weight on his heel and his other leg lashed out. Fast. Luffy jumped/stumbled back, unprepared for the sudden attack. Killer charged him, aiming a kick at Luffy's legs.

"I don't want fight you!" Luffy shouted as he paced himself from Killer.

"Why not?" Killer sneered, kicking for Luffy's stomach, the boy dodging his attack.

"Because we're nakama!" Luffy said it so proudly, that Killer hesitated.

"Don't just declare stuff like that!" Killer growled, fists shaking at his sides. "I never said I wanted to be your friend!"

"Oi! Oi! Stop that!" Luffy ducked under another kick. His frustration starting to get the better of him, and he was not willing to restrain from fighting any longer. Killer jumped into the air, his leg stretched out to drop a devastating kick.

Luffy sidestepped around as Killer landed, and swung a punch, landing a hit on Killer's head, cracking the mask beneath his knuckles. Killer twisted, falling onto his side. He held his ground, taking a second to recover. It was just one punch but the power behind it was inhuman. He rejudged the boy before him.

At face value, Luffy was nothing special, just some goofy looking boy with messy black hair. But he was a fighter, Killer learned the hard way. He didn't move the way a trained fighter would, there was no ingrained stance or position. So the boy had to have been self taught.

Everything about their battle so far had been a fluke. Killer won't make the same mistake of underestimating Luffy again.

"I'll kill you." Killer heaved, his hands reaching behind his back, pulling out a hidden knife, the blade as long his his hand.

"You won't kill me." Luffy took his stance, unfazed by the knife. "I'm going to be the pirate king."

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Well? Don't you want to know what happens next? Only if you review! And beta-readers! You know who you are. Don't leave me hanging! The quality of the story depends on it! (own worst editor)


	3. Day two, halfway there

Tally Mai-chan: Chapter three! Whoo! So much fun. More characters and more plot! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Day two, halfway there

* * *

Two boys, ten feet apart sized the other up. One with long blond hair, wearing a cracked mask, tested his footing in the short grass between the two dorms of Marineford Academy. The other, a boy with short black hair, waited with fists in the air.

It was a breezy August day, the wind still warm with summer and the leaves painted with the slightest hint of red and orange. Clouds drifted past the sun, casting them in shadow.

"Pirate king?" Killer laughed, cold and humorlessly. "Are you retarded?"

Luffy clenched his fists, breathing deeply. Gramps told him the reason he lost so many fights was because he let himself get riled up.

Killer took a step forward his knife held parallel to his chin. "A pirate! You should have been a clown, that suits you much better. Not that it matters any more for you-"

"Are you going to talk, or are you going to fight!" Luffy shouted.

"If you insist." Killer laughed, and attacked.

There was no fear or hesitation in Luffy as he dodged each swipe of the knife, coming dangerously closer and closer to hitting. Killer curved the blade down into a diagonal cut, and left his side open. Luffy took his chance, punching hard at the opening. Killer twisted with the punch, and cut Luffy across the shoulder.

Blood spattered off the knife and the two boys stepped back from another panting, preparing for the next round.

Luffy attacked first, pushing Killer into the offensive. Each of his punches pulled back at the last second as Killer countered with his knife. Luffy tried a kick and Killer dodged, cutting Luffy on the front of his shin. Droplets of blood splashing across the white steel. Luffy punched for Killer's chest and Killer ducked under with alarming speed and pulled his knife of.

'Shit!' Luffy couldn't dodge it. The flat of the knife dug into his chest, and using his momentum Killer forced Luffy to the ground, and pinned him.

"Do you want to know what it's like to be decapitated by a dull blade?" Killer asked him, the edge of the knife pressed into Luffy's neck. "Even if you don't you'll soon find out, and it will be the last thing you ever learn."

Luffy struggled under the taller boy, bucking his hips. Killer jerked to the side, and Luffy pushed off the ground, simultaneously pushing Killer off him. He was free but Killer was already up, and beside him. The knife slashed through the air, aimed right for his heart.

And then it stopped.

"Who are you." Killer sneered, a light tan, wooden kendo sword suspending his arm in the air. The tip of the blade inches from Luffy's heart.

"Roronoa Zoro." The new boy said, he had light green hair resembling the moss that grows on the sides a trees and tan skin. His school uniform clean, but his shoes were caked in mud. Zoro's eyes narrowed, arms taunt with effort to keep Killer's arm in place. Killer backed off, taking several steps away from the two boys.

"Zoro!" Luffy laughed, standing up on his feet, never more thankful to see the green haired captain of the kendo team. "Thank's for helping me out, I was starting to get worried there."

Zoro frowned, smacking his sword across Luffy's head. "Jeez, I was trying to get some sleep when I heard to idiots fighting in front of the dorms."

"Eh, did you forget there was school today?" Luffy asked. Zoro grimaced and looked away.

"Yes," He said, maintaining as much dignity as he could.

Killer pocketed his knife, standing stiffly. " Che, I'll deal with you later Luffy. I don't feel like fighting you anymore." Even though they couldn't see his eyes they felt the icy glare he gave them as he walked off, heading towards the school.

"Hey!" Luffy shouted after him. "Let's have lunch together sometime! Because we're nakama!"

"You make strange friends." Zoro mused, a small grin on his face. He let his sword drop the grass and followed after it relaxing in the cool grass, debating whether it was worth it to go to school for the rest of the day or not. "What'd you do to make him pissed off at you anyways."

Luffy sat down beside him, rolling in the grass. "He wouldn't show me his scar. I think he lied about it."

"A scar? Heh, that's pretty cool if he has one." Zoro traced his own scar, the dark line connecting his left shoulder to his right hip.

"Right! Hmmmmm...?" Luffy felt like he was forgetting something, something important. Fourth period. "Shit! I forgot! I need to get back to class! You should too Zoro!" Luffy crawled to his feet, dashing to the school gates.

"You moron! You're covered in blood! At least change first!" Zoro shouted but Luffy was already gone. "He's going to get into trouble again."

* * *

Luffy ran into his fourth period, panting. "I'm sorry I'm late, I have a note!"

"My, My." Science teacher Shakky hummed. She leaned against a pulpit, a black dressy sweater hugging her hour glass figure reaching past her hips. Her long legs covered by black tights and wore ankle high boots. A blackboard with various questions on the chapter being studied behind her. "Why are you bloodied Luffy-chan?"

"Eh? Blood?" Luffy looked down his shirt and sure enough saw the trail of blood originating from the cut on his shoulder.

"On your leg too." Shakky pointed out, to which Luffy shrugged.

"It doesn't hurt."

"Here, let me save you a trip to the infirmary and clean you up myself." She left her desk in the middle of the lesson she was giving, the other students to scared to say anything. A member of the school gang just walked in covered in blood after all.

Shakky searched through plastic cupboards at the back of the room, extracting a red first aid kit from the top shelf. "Now take your shirt off.

"Miss. Shakky!" The girls blushed, as Luffy pulled his shirt off. "He can't-"

"Now sit still." Shakky ordered Luffy, ignoring her class. She opened a bottle of anti-inflammatory. "This should help", and dabbed it on his shoulder after washing it with wet paper towels, and then wrapped it in bandages. "There, now for your leg."

Luffy let Shakky lift his leg and clean it. He had Miss. Shakky last year for science too and she was the best science teacher in the whole school, at least in Luffy's opinion. She liked to dote on him, something that was not particularly hated or loved. Luffy just let her do as she wanted.

"Miss. Shakky" A boy spoke up, "Are you going to finish the lesson?"

"Yes, now that I know my cute Luffy-chan is taken care of." Shakky winked, bushing her fingers across Luffy's cheek.

"Scandalous." A few girls whispered.

"He's way too young for you teacher." A boy joked.

"I just want to lock him up in my closet." Shakky said.

"Hey! He's asleep!" The class shouted. As soon as Luffy got into his seat he fell right asleep. "He was sleeping this morning too." "How come teacher never lets us sleep in class. He falls asleep and teacher thinks it's cute, I sleep and I'm fined ten bucks!"

A camera flashed and Shakky smiled behind her blue camera. "Another picture for the collection."

"Teacher... you're creepy."

Shakky laughed, continuing her lesson. "Luffy-chan is just too cute for his own good."

* * *

"Luffy-chan" Shakky gently shook the boy awake. The class room empty. "Luffy-chan it's lunch time."

"Lunch!" Luffy's eyes snapped open, "I can't believe I almost missed lunch! Bye Miss. Shakky! And thanks!"

He sprinted down the hall, a few teachers shouting at him to slow down from their class rooms. Luffy didn't heed their warnings and kept going. He just passed the principles office as the door to the left opened and-

"Stop right there!"

Luffy bolted down the hallway, not daring to look back at the face of the man who was the sole source of all his school suffering.

"I told you to stop Luffy!" Grandpa Garp bellowed, chasing after Luffy, leaving the door to his office wide open. "I want to know about your detention!"

"How do you know? I just got it!" Luffy put on a burst of speed, but he knew it was useless. He couldn't win against his grandpa in a fight and he couldn't outrun him forever. He had to get away somehow.

"When I catch you Luffy..." Garp trailed off, leaving room for Luffy's overactive imagination to fill in the rest of the sentence. The old man caught up to Luffy, reaching for the boys shirt. Luffy turned sharply to the left, doing a U-turn, and running back the way he came.

Garp was right on his trail and before he knew it a strong hand jerked Luffy to a stop, the white shirt ripping down the front. Garp let him go and Luffy collapsed to the ground.

"Why did you get a detention Luffy?" Garp asked none too nicely.

"It wasn't my fault!" Luffy defended. "I wasn't doing anything when the teacher just gave me a detention! I swear I didn't do a thing!"

Garp wasn't buying it. "You had to have done something boy! Honestly, how are you going to become a great Marine like your grandpa if you get detentions all the time!"

Luffy's anger flared. "I told you! I'm going to be a pirate! I'm never going to be a Marine!"

"Insolent boy..." Garp growled, "Bah! Forget it! I don't have time deal with this... Actually I had something I wanted to talk with you about, come walk with me."

"No way! It's my lunch time and I'm hungry." Luffy said defiantly walking to the cafeteria. He was quickly swayed to Garps side when the man said he'd buy him lunch in the teachers lounge and everyone knew the food in the teachers lounge was the best. "Okay, let's go."

"Hah! You're so easy." Garp laughed as they walked down the hall, a comfortable atmosphere between them. They really did get along, whenever they weren't arguing about Luffy's future that is. But they had a special relationship that could only be forged by years of time and understanding.

That easy atmosphere quickly changed as Garp snarled, and his eyebrows pushed together, like he was working through a difficult math problem with an elusive answer. Luffy knew his grandpa well enough to know there was something serious on the old man's mind.

"Last year a lot of things happened Luffy, even the year before that. A lot of those things matter a lot now. I need to talk to you about... It's about Eustass Kid."

Luffy looked at his grandpa with wary curiosity. "What about him?"

"The, no I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore. Luffy, where is he."

Luffy looked down to the floor, not finding it possible to lie, but he promised... "I can't tell. But... he said he'd come back, and he will."

"You know everything Luffy, Kizaru didn't want me to tell you but I did because you had every right to know. So you understand how serious this is, the gravity of his situation."

"He said he'd be fine. I have complete trust in him."

Garp nodded his head, looking at no particular thing in the empty hallway.

"I'm going to lunch." Luffy said, "I promised Robin I'd have lunch with her."

"I'm not going to talk about it any more." Garp said, "If you trust him then so will I. I'm afraid I just don't have enough patience. Don't get anymore detentions Luffy! Or you'll really get it."

Luffy grinned, "See ya Grandpa!"

* * *

Hancock walked into her room, subconsciously reaching out for her chair, and groping empty space. She blinked, shocked at the absence of her comfortable chair. That's right, she thought, the consequences of her actions that morning finally catching up with her, she smashed her new chair. She looked into the trashcan and saw the shattered pieces of wood, an undeniable confirmation.

The afternoon classes, periods five through seven were the special classes that focused on the students interests or desires. These classes include, but not limited too, P.E, art, music and such forth. Thus she only taught for four periods, giving her a few hours of free time.

She just came back from the teacher lounge, and a long talk with Principle Kizaru. The man rambled on and on about various things, she didn't pay any attention.

Now fighting a headache and nothing to sit down and relax in she had started to gather her papers for the trip home when _that boy_ walked in.

"I'm here for my detention." Luffy said and sat down at his desk.

"Right." Hancock sat on her desk smiling deviously, she had almost forget about him. She spent her whole lunch hour thinking through her plan to make him fall for her. Detention was so convenient, no one would question it and it created an opportunity to be alone with him. Funny, she couldn't remember ever trying so hard to seduce a man. They would naturally fall at her feet, all but this boy, with no effort on her part.

Muddled feelings welled inside her heart. Hatred, malice, curiosity, and even uncertainty. She pushed them aside, for such emotions would only serve smother her resolve. It still raised a curious question, why was she trying so hard? She didn't answer.

Luffy watched her, his face stupidly blank. The cliché of "the lights are on but nobody is home" flashed through her mind.

"For your punishment," She smiled, tilting her head to look more seductive, "You must love me!"

"Ehhhhhh?" Luffy's face twisted with confusion. "What kind of punishment is that? Aren't you going to make me 100 laps? Do 100 situps? Read books?" Those were the punishments Mr. Drake and his grandpa gave him, but to love his teacher?

"Your punishment is to love me." Hancock repeated, playing with the buttons on her black blouse. Methodically undoing them past her breasts and stomach.

There was no reaction from him.

"Hmm? Teacher, what are you doing?" He asked, perplexed by her odd behavior.

"What?" Hancock fell off her desk, landing in an undignified heap on the ground, too stunned to correct herself. Did she hear him correctly? No, she must have misheard him.

"Are you changing? Shouldn't you do that in a restroom or something. Last time I tried to change during detention I another detention."

She crawled to him, pushing her chest out, her black blouse barely containing her bosom, and gave him her most seductive glance. "I'm not changing boy, you know what I'm doing"

"I do?" Luffy said, secreting pure naivety.

Hancock bit her lip, she climbed half on the desk and half onto him,stroking his face with her hands. Her touch was unwanted by him and he tried to push her away but she was relentless, stroking his face and chest. Luffy had enough of it.

"Teacher I would like to ask for a different punishment." He said, pushing her off him.

Hancock squeezed his arms, hurt and rage burning in her heart. "What are you? Are you even human? You are a man yet you won't even look at my naked chest!"

"You said to love you right?" Luffy said. "If you love someone then you don't abuse that love!"

"You stupid boy!" Hancock cried, slapping him across his cheek. "I won't forget this!" Her fingers fumbled as she re-buttoned her shirt. "Just go! Get out of my sight you... you stupid boy!"

"Eh?" Luffy didn't understand. He did what teacher asked him so why was she so angry?

"Go!" Hancock cried when Luffy didn't move, and seized a desk, and hurled it at him.

Luffy ducked backpedaling away from his teacher. She turned her back to him, her whole body trembling. "Just... go." She sobbed, "leave me."

"Then, I'll be going teacher." He bowed and left.

* * *

Cutty Flam, or Franky as he called himself danced down the halls, psyched for the new dance club starting that year. For two years he's tried to start a club but none of the teachers would sponsor him. But this year a teacher was actually starting one! This school year was going to be suuuuuuper!

Luffy came out of a class room down the hall and he ran to the boy shouting, "Hey! Luffy! Are you feeling suuupa!"

"Franky." Luffy said blandly, giving Franky a sad smile.

"Oi, oi, oi" Franky walked up on him. Luffy wasn't his normal high energy self, he actually seemed... depressed. And the splotches of blood on his shoulder didn't escape his attention either."What's up Luffy?"

"Well..." Luffy glanced at the room behind him, the door closed. "I think that there's something wrong with teacher. I think she's crying."

"Eh!" Franky shouted a little too loudly, "A teacher is crying? Who," He looked at the name plate beside the door. "Boa Hancock?"

"I can't tell if it's something I did or what... I got it!" Was all Franky heard before the boy raced down the hall, stopping for nothing.

Franky ran after, slowing down as he passed the principles office then charging full blast after Luffy. The boy turned the corner into the top line the E that the school was shaped in. And followed Luffy into the infirmary.

The school infirmary was located at the end of the hallway, and had big, wide windows that let in ample light. Rows of cots with white sheets and thin mattresses, took up most space, curtain lines hanging around each to allow for privacy when necessary.

The nurse Kureha, an old woman who dressed like a twenty year old, skinny jeans and a deep cut pink shirt over which a white doctors coat, was an eccentric woman.

"Hmm? Luffy! Haven't seen you for a whole summer!" Kureha brightened at the sight of the energetic boy, "and... Franky right?" Not quite remembering the buff, blue-gravity defying hair boy's name.

"Yeah." Franky shifted uneasily on his feet. While never personally receiving injuries serious enough to warrant a trip here, he's heard stories of the school's infamous nurse. She was impossibly old. 139 years old which to her was "too young" and then there were the stories of her... treatments. If you broke your arm she would twist it to check it and knock you out afterwords so you didn't feel the pain.

"Grandma." Luffy sat down on the cot closest to the nurses desk. "How do I know if I've made someone mad?"

Kureha blinked in surprise, "Did you do something? Good god Luffy it's only the second day! Then again it only took you four days last year to get into trouble. Tell me the whole story boy."

"Well," Luffy began, taking a moment to remember everything. "Yesterday I was sleeping in class and the teacher got really mad at me. And today she called on me for questions I didn't know the answers to anything and when I asked a question she gave me a detention. If I gave her meat would she forgive me?"

"Who's this teacher." Kureha asked. All of the teachers were savvy to the Vice-principle's grandson and his... odd behaviors. Unless it was-

"Miss. Boa Hancock"

-one of the new teachers. Kureha chuckled.

"Well then, you got quite the predicament on your hands. Did you apologize to her?"

"I did!" Luffy said. "But Nami told me it wasn't sincere and during my detention she acted really weird and yelled at me to get out."

"Weird? What did she do that was-"

"Nurse Kureha!" A girl screamed outside in the hall, "Please help! Nurse Kureha!"

Franky, Luffy and Kureha ran from the room. Rushing to the aide of two students struggling to carry a third.

A girl Luffy remembered from his English class last year, Conis limped down the hall, helping to support Chaka, carried by Pell on the other side. Blood dripped down Chaka's left arm and face, his clothes torn in several places, his right leg twisted in an impossible, sickening way. Conis had a dark bruise under her right eye and was covered in dirt. Pell looked physically better then the other two but his shirt was torn badly, hanging onto his shoulder by threads, and covered in dirt like Conis.

Luffy and Franky grabbed Chaka from the two, and carried him into the infirmary. Kureha glanced over Pell and Conis before running into the infirmary to take care of Chaka. Luffy and Franky laid him down on the nearest cot. She prodded his leg non-too gently, twisted around, his foot lodged behind his knee, the boy gritted his teeth, hissing with pain.

"It's definitely broken, this is too much for me. He needs to go to the hospital." Kureha sighed, wiping her forehead. "Luffy Franky, fill out the injury forms for me in the desk. Girlie, take a cot and rest, don't you dare move. Same goes for you boy." She instructed Conis and Pell. The two nodded, assured that their friend was safe and did as they were told.

Franky grabbed the green forms from the nurses desk and sat down with Conis and Pell. Luffy hovered around Kureha until the woman snapped at him to buzz off.

"What's the extent of the injuries?" Franky read off the card.

Pell answered first, "I'm fine, a few bruises here or there and Conis got hit hard below the eye. Chaka got the worst of it, he shielded Conis and that bastard broke his leg!"

"Wait a second!" Kureha shouted, looking at them while on the phone with the hospital. "Are you saying someone did this to you?"

Conis bit her lower lip. "We were hanging outside the school when he walked by. He, he looked so strange. He wore our uniform and had a strange mask over his face."

"A mask?" Luffy jumped into the conversation. "Did he look like a blonde hedgehog? Like in the Sonic games?"

"Yes, long blond hair. Yeah that was him." Conis confirmed. "Chaka was teasing him about the mask when he just attacked." She bit on her lip, too shaken to speak any more.

Luffy stood up, fists clenched tight at his sides. "Where is he." He asked.

Pell waved his hands knowing exactly what Luffy was going to do. "No Luffy! You can't fight him! He's dangerous! He fights to kill!"

"Where is he!" Luffy demanded, trembling with anger. "Tell me!"

Chaka coughed, "He... went back... to the dorms."

"Right." That was all Luffy needed to know and he ran from the nurses office.

"Will he be alright by himself." Pell asked Franky. The upperclassman shrugged his shoulders.

"If I know Luffy, then he'll find a way. It doesn't matter how many time he gets beaten. He just springs right back."

"That boy!" Kureha shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. The ambulance on it's way. "He knows I have to report all fights to Dean Akainu. If he gets caught fighting... he could be suspended! Or even expelled!"

* * *

Luffy stormed into the boys common room, fuming with rage. A heavy, painfully awkward silence smothering the room.

"WHERE'S KILLER!" He screamed, his voice heard through the entire dorm. "WHERE IS HE!"

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Fuhahahahaha! Cliff hanger! Dun dun duuuun! Want to know what happens next? Then review! Review, review, review! 60+ of you read to the second chapter but there's only been three! measly reviews (Super special awesome thanks to those you did! You guys are great!)

Also beta! I still need one, bad!

Also, also, I'm really curious as to what's going to happen next between Luffy and Killer, and who you guys think is the new teacher that's starting the dance club. Of course I know but I'm just really, really curious who you guys think it is.

Thank you for reading!


	4. Day two, ends with a bang

Tally Mai-chan: I'm not going to talk about this chapter or else I'll give away the ending but I will say that things are starting to get INTENSE! Seriously! And I have found a beta! Yays! ENJOY THE CHAPTER!

* * *

Chapter 4: Day two, ends with a bang

* * *

"KILLER!" Luffy shouted as he ran through the entire dorm. Killer did not answer his first call so he was going to search Killer out himself. "WHERE ARE YOU!"

Students gave him space as he passed. Some terrified to get into Luffy's way, others curious as to what could make him so enraged. Excitement spread through the dorm. Rumors flew about the school the moment Killer arrived, and already a member of the infamous school gang was after him. It was scary and thrilling at the same time, some boys even started to take bets.

Luffy ran up the stairs for his second pass through the third floor. Law was waiting for him at the end of the hall, standing stubbornly in his path. Luffy skidded to a halt.

"Where is he. Where's Killer." Luffy asked.

"Not here." replied Law. "He left about half an hour ago. I heard about what happened to those students, Chaka and... Nell? And that one girl. Were they friends of yous?"

"Yeah," Luffy said.

Law smirked, a fierce determination burned in Luffy's eyes. The boy was very rarely ever serious. The only time Law had ever seen Luffy serious was when he fought. It didn't matter who he fought or for what reason. He fought his hardest each and every time.

He sighed. Luffy was rushing head first into a fight that couldn't be won on determination alone. "Luffy, surly you've heard the rumors about this guy. He's a maniac. Come with me for a minute."

"NO!" Luffy shouted, and grabbed Law by the front of his shirt. "He hurt innocent people, people who couldn't even fight back!"

Law calmed Luffy down, rationalizing with him. Charging blindly into a fight against Killer was plain stupid and would only get him killed. After several tedious minutes of redundant arguing Law convinced Luffy to go with him to his room.

In his room Law threw a newspaper into Luffy's hands, and took a seat on a twin-size bed, watching Luffy warily. Luffy looked at the paper in his hands, dated two months ago, and read the headline.

"_High school students kills mob."_

Grimly Law told Luffy everything he knew about the boy named Killer.

Killer came from a large populous town in South Blue. The city was famous for it's high levels of crime and gang wars. He's lived quietly until the end of his freshman year. It was, at first, decided a case of "being at the wrong place at the wrong time" but soon evidence appeared that said otherwise.

Killer wandered into a warehouse occupied by a top city gang, a meeting of their leaders. A gunfight ensued and lasted for five minutes. Near by workers heard the gunfire and called the police. When the police got to the warehouse it was a sea of glittering, red blood and seven dead bodies, all decapitated.

The rest was hazy. Exactly how police found Killer and related him to the murder was unknown. It was that vagueness that kept Killer out of juvenile detention. Just barely.

"I don't care about this." Luffy said. "I'm going to avenge my nakama."

"Avenge? Luffy, you don't know what you are getting into."

Luffy tore the newspaper to pieces, thin, flimsy, paper floating to the floor, landing in a shambled mess.

"If you can't tell me where Killer is then I'm going." Luffy waved Law off, running out of the room then down the stairs and out of the dorm.

Law laid spread eagle on his back, and stared at his ceiling. He almost wanted to go and help Luffy. Killer was excitement. A real killer at their quiet little school. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He liked, no that was the wrong word for his feelings. It wasn't love nor lust, but a need that boarded desire. He _needed_ the thrill of battle, a characteristic shared by his missing roommate.

He set his gaze to the other side of the room, cleanly out of place with the rest of the disorganized room. It was unnatural to see his roommate's side so clean. Cleared at the end of school last year for the summer. He wasn't too worried, it was only the second day of school. Eustass Kid would show up eventually.

Now would be the time, Law thought, thinking back to Killer. Now there's someone here that's just as insane as you are.

* * *

"Killer is a good friend of mine. The guy that was on TV over the summer? That's him, he's going to our school now. Of course I've known him for a long time. We're really close, best friends even." Junior girl Alvida smiled as she stood dominantly over Freshman Coby.

She was ridiculously fat and yet insisted upon wearing the shortest skirt length allowed for the girls uniform. The uniform for the girls varied slightly from the boys, with a more stylish top and a navy blue skirt that came in various lengths. The too small uniform stretched to it's breaking limit on her body, giving her a disgusting, distorted look.

Coby gulped, curling into a fetal position in the dirt. It was his second day of school and already he was getting bullied.

"We're friends of him." Helmeppo repeated. Alvida hit him over the head.

"Shut your whinny, spoiled trap! I said that I'd do all the talking!" She screamed, glaring at all her underlings. "Now, for the freshmeat. Who is the most beautiful girl in the whole school?"

Coby whimpered, certainly she wasn't taking about herself. "Uh... y-you... are?"

She smiled cordially, whispering to him in a syrupy voice. "That's right, now if you don't want Killer to cut your throat then do as we tell you and-"

"Hey! Someone who just came out of the boys dorm is heading straight for us!" Helmppo shouted from the edge of the group.

The sun hovered above the horizon, bathing the world with rich golden light. Reds and pink tinted the ocean water, and clouds dipped in orange. Clear blue sky marked the end of a new day, ignorant of the tumult.

"Who dares to interrupt me when I'm bulling freshman?" Alvida demanded, the bright sun shinned in her eyes and she had to squint.

"It-it's." Helmppo paled, "It's Luffy!"

"What?" Alvida asked Helmppo if he was sure. He was. There was just no way, she didn't bother his friends. Monkey D. Luffy had no problem with her. She had made sure of that, this year and last.

"Hey! Do you know where a guy named Killer is?" Luffy ran straight to Alvida. "Do you know where he is?"

Alvida flinched when the boy approached her, then, in a moment, visibly calmed. Cocky arrogance taking place of her initial fear, and she drew herself to full height. "Why should I tell you?"

"Tell me where he is!" Luffy snapped back. He had such an air of urgency and rage that Alvida lost her suave.

"Wh-what... I don't-I... I wont tell you." She hesitated answering.

"Tell me!" Luffy demanded, taking a step closer. She stepped back.

"What are you going to do? Beat up a girl? I thought momma's taught their little boys never to hit a girl."

Coby curled into a tighter ball on the ground. This boy, Luffy, he's going to get beat up! He had to do something! But what could he do? He already lost to Alvida and her gang. He's just a weakling.

"I don't have time to fight you! I'm looking for Killer!" said Luffy.

"I won't rat my friend out." Alvida snapped back

"Tell me!"

She had enough of this useless conversation, and Luffy. "I'm not a afraid of you Monkey D. Luffy. If you want to know where Killer is then you'd have to beat the information right out of me!"

"I just have to beat you up to get the information?"asked Luffy.

Coby grimaced, was he really going to? Was he really going to fight her, that monster?

Alvida grinned beastly and without preamble punched Luffy in the face. Luffy took the punch, rocking back on his heels slightly. He took his footing and he punched right back, hitting right below her collarbone and she crumpled to the ground, holding her hands to her chest.

"AHHHHHHHhhhh!" She cried out in pain, rolling on the grass. Helmppo staggered forward, moving with all intent to avenge his leader but not finding the will power to go through with it. One hit from Luffy to his chest and he was sent reeling, falling to the ground and did not get back up.

Coby watched with awe as Luffy swiftly took care of the rest of Alvida's gang. They were nothing compared to him. Respect and admiration flooded the freshman boy. He wanted to be just like Luffy, brave and strong. A true hero.

"You... stupid..." Alvida grunted, staggering on her thick legs. "I wont forget this!"

She ran across the grass, each step pounding the ground, sending dirt and grass flying. Luffy jumped to the side. She grabbed the end of his shirt, jerking him back to her. She punched him repeatedly in the face, breaking his nose, and giving him a black eye.

Luffy kicked her stomach and she released him. He spat out the blood that pooled in his mouth and attacked her back. Hitting her stomach, her side, her knees. One final hit to the side of her head and she was out.

"Where's Killer!" Luffy shouted at her, but it was useless. She was out cold.

"We don't know Killer." Helmppo sat up on the ground, his arms wrapped around his chest. "We just used his name to make people fear us! Leave us alone!"

"But she said-"

"She lied!"

Luffy cried out in frustration, this was getting him nowhere. He started to leave when Coby stopped him.

"Y-you said you were looking for someone?" Coby stuttered.

Luffy paused mid step, looking back at Coby. He didn't realize the boy was even there."Yeah, a guy named Killer, have you seen him?"

"N-no, but I can help you find him! With two people looking it'll go a whole lot faster!" Coby paused, did he really just offer to help this guy? He staggered back, shocked. He did realized he said, the words popped out of his mouth, he just wanted to be with Luffy longer, if just a little bit. Maybe some of Luffy's courage would rub onto him. Mabye he wouldn't be so weak if he hung out with a tough guy like Luffy.

"Really!" Luffy laughed, suddenly cheery, and held out his hand for Coby to shake. "Thanks a bunch! I'm Monkey D. Luffy."

"Coby, a freshman. What does Killer look like?"

"A blond hedgehog and a blue mask."

Coby blinked, unsure if he heard Luffy correctly. He asked Luffy to repeat it and Luffy said the same thing. Blond hedgehog and a blue mask. Was it Halloween already? A sickening feeling lurched in his stomach. A premonition that he had got into something far over his head, and it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Luffy ran off, thanking Coby for his help and the pink haired boy couldn't help but do as he promised, and started to search the around the school grounds. Luffy went north towards the school and forest so he'll check south, towards the school dorms and on.

Coby was scared to be on his own, and worse yet looking for a guy that wore a mask. He wanted to search with Luffy, who was cool and brave. Unlike him. He was a coward, in fact the only reason he came to this school was to get away from his old one. At his old school he was bullied so badly that the teachers gave up on him.

But man! Luffy beat Alvida! Luffy was a hero! Maybe, just maybe this school was okay after all.

When he heard about Marineford Acadamy, how it was a selective school where only the brightest of minds could go to. Maybe a school of all smart kids wouldn't have any bullies. It would be perfect. Alvida ruined that perfect image.

But Luffy gave him hope.

* * *

Even further south of the dorms was a rise in the flat surface of the peninsula, a gently inclining hill that cut off harshly at it's apex, jutting over the blue ocean. The thinning light of twilight made it hard to make out a group of three boys standing under the dark shade of four maple trees, small bushes hiding under the shade, clustered where the hill started to rise.

The sun a sliver of red on the russet horizon. Maybe minutes away from disappearing completely. The boys saw Coby approach, his pink hair standing out against the cool green grass and dark blue of the sky.

"What do you want?" One asked, his tone neither friendly or kind.

"I-I" Coby stumbled over his words, trying to call upon his courage. He was scared to approach these boys, they looked like upperclassman, but he promised Luffy. He wanted to be brave too.

"I'm looking for a guy named Killer."

"Killer?" One boy with long dark hair laughed. "What kind of joke is this?"

"Not very funny." Another, a redhead said.

"Get lost freshman." The first, the tallest of the boys with short cropped blond hair. "Or you'll regret it."

"Do you know anything at all!" Coby shouted. He didn't mean to shout, but his words froze in his mouth and he didn't want to sound weak by whispering.

The boys tensed, hostile eyes staring him down. Coby suddenly felt uncomfortable, that this was a bad place to be. Run. He wanted to run, but he was far away from the dorms, they'd catch him before he could get help. He was going to get beat up.

The boys circled around him, the tallest facing him head on. Coby's knees trembled and it was all he could do to not drop to the ground and curl into a ball.

"I think freshman here needs to be taught a lesson."

"I think I'll be going." Coby stepped back, backing into the red haired boy. The boy grabbed him around his chest, pinning his arms down. Coby squirmed, kicking the air before him to fend off the other boys that started to punch him.

The dark haired boy grabbed his legs and together with the red haired boy, threw him against the tree. Coby's face smashed into the wood, his glasses breaking in two, the bark scratching the glass. Coby bit his lower lip, tears rolling down his face.

The boys kicked and punched him. Laughing at each cry of pain. When the sun had set and darkness covered the faces of the boys that beat him, they kicked him into the bushes under the trees and left.

Coby shivered in the cold night air, to worn and beaten to get up. Twigs prodded his back and leaves rubbed his face. Crawly nocturnal insects skittered across his legs and arms, a spider bit him.

He wondered if Luffy was looking for him. Why should Luffy be looking for him? They only just meet. People tended to forget him easily, only remembering him when they wanted something, or somebody to take the fall.

Coby cried even more. How stupid he was, to think things would be different at this school. It was just like any other school at any other place. Bullies tormenting him, people manipulating him, and forgotten just like that.

Maybe if he becomes a strong Marine and fight in the war people will begin to remember him. He'll be a big hero that no one could beat up!

Coby slowly picked himself from the ground. He'd been laying there so long, the cold air numbing his bones, he couldn't stand properly. In the darkness something shimmered. Coby let himself fall back down, crouching low to the ground. Eyes sharp for the shimmer.

He didn't know what it was, but it scared him. He groped the grass for his glasses, holding one side of the broken frames to his eye. The blurred darkness came into focus. His eyes adjusted to the dark, and he could see a dark, human outline.

A person walked by the trees, stopping before the bush Coby hid behind. At close range he could see a mask over the persons face, long blond hair falling to their knees.

Killer.

Coby covered his mouth with his hands, afraid to breath lest the older boy would notice him. Killer was dangerous, Coby knew immediately. He wasn't a bully, he didn't manipulate, he was... Coby trembled, not from the cold.

A light shimmered in Killer's hand, a metallic object reflecting the thin light of the moon.

It was a gun.

Coby held his breath. THU-thump. THU-thump. THU-thump. His heart drummed. Coby desperately tired to calm down. His head pounding with each beat of his heart.

Killer started to leave, heading towards the dorm. Coby let out an internal sigh, he couldn't hold his breath any longer, and breathed out. Killer, a few feet away, heard him and paused.

"I thought someone was hiding there." Killer said.

Coby peed his pants.

"Did you see my gun? I guess you know about it now. Come out where I can see you."

Coby did as he was told, finding the strength to stand up from the bushes. It was obvious he was in bad shape, even in the dim moonlight. His hair was messed, littered with twigs. His shirt and pants torn and dark splotches across his arms and face.

None of this escaped Killer's attention. "Lose a fight did you?" Killer played with the gun, twirling it in his hands. Coby watched each rotation. Taking a sharper breath each time it pointed at him.

"Wh-what d-d-do y-you want fr-from m-m-me." Coby asked.

"I want you to keep a secret. No one is to know I have this." Killer held up the gun, an odd, discomforting calm about him. "I don't have to worry about you squealing on me do I? Because if you do... I'll find you. And you will regret it."

"What do you want to do with it!" Coby shouted, quickly covering his mouth.

"Why do you need to know? All you need to do is keep your mouth shut. Am I clear?"

Coby was not going to agree with this. He's going to say no! That he will not stay quiet about this and will tell principle Kizaru right away! "Yes. I... I won't tell anyone."

"Good." Killer said, and fired the gun at Coby's head.

The shot missed, whistling past Coby's ear and ending inside the trunk of a tree.

"Don't you dare rat me out." Killer said calmly, and left, just like that.

Immediately Coby fell to his knees. Tears threatening to fall from his eyes again.

What was Killer going to do with his gun? The answer was obvious. What else do you do with a gun but hurt someone? Guns are used to kill people. Killer was going to kill someone. But who? Who did he want to kill? Coby hit his head against the ground, his forehead going numb with dull pain.

If Killer killed someone and it was found out that he knew then he would be an accessory to the murder since he didn't try to stop it. Maybe they'd let him off, but he would always know that he was responsible.

Luffy! Coby felt a shred of hope. Luffy could stop Killer! Luffy was strong and brave, he could stop Killer. Coby knew it.

When he got back to the boys dorm, everyone was gone, all upstairs in their rooms. The lights in the common room were off and Coby had to navigate through the maze of couches to the stairs. The climb up to the third floor wore him out to the point that sleeping on the stairs was a tempting option. Somehow though, he dragged himself to his room, unlocked the door, and plopped down on his bed and closed his eyes the moment his head touched his pillow.

Tomorrow... tomorrow he'll find Luffy and tell him about the gun. Tomorrow.

That night, his dreams were riddled with the echoing bang of that gun, over and over again.

Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: It's only day two but so much has happened! Killer has a gun! Luffy still hasn't found him! And when well Eustass Kid hit the scene? I know, and if you want to know then drop a review! Now!


	5. Two Devils

Tally Mai-chan: (*Bows on knees with forehead pressed against the floor) I'm am deeply sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I got into a rut half-way through and I just couldn't work through it! Eventually I got around it and started revising my work from there. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 5: Two Devils

* * *

"Eh? Akainu took Killer to the the cooler?" Luffy said, mouth loaded with toast, and sausage.

"I saw it with my own two eyes!" Usopp exclaimed from beside Luffy. "I was on my way to the bathroom, and there! Around the corner Hotdog had that Killer guy by the neck, lecturing him!"

Luffy looked up from his food when a boy called his name. He turned around and saw Coby running to him. His glasses bounced off his face and he bent down to pick them up. The glasses crushed by an oblivious boy's foot before Coby could pick them back up.

"Ah! Coby!" Luffy ran to help him pick up his glasses. Coby thanked Luffy for his efforts, dropping the broken remains of his glasses on the table.

Usopp examined the pieces, "It frame is messed up but the lenses are more or less okay. I can patch these up real quick." And with Coby's permission he started his work. Luffy watched Usopp, fascinated by the others deft fingers.

Coby twiddled his thumbs searching for the right words. "Luffy, I need to tell you something. Killer... he... Killer has-"

"In the cooler? Yeah, I know. Usopp just told me" Luffy said.

"The cooler?" Coby asked.

"Yeah, It's where you get lectured, can't sleep, and the food is really bad!"

"That's not it!" Usopp intervened. "It's where suspended students go. It's south from here along the road. You're a freshman right?"

Coby nodded. Losing his nerve. Maybe it wasn't a hot idea to tell Luffy about the gun. Killer said he'd find him if he told, and, and... Coby grabbed a piece of toast lingering on a half empty plate. Taking a contemplative bite from it. If Killer was in that 'cooler' place then he couldn't hurt him right?

With each minute that passed Coby lost more of his resolve. Luffy laughed and cracked jokes so carefree. Where had all his anger gone?

"L-Luffy." Coby said. "Aren't you sill mad at... at Killer?"

"Well yeah." Luffy leaned back in his chair, "But he's being punished by the school for what he did. You can't punish someone twice. But he needs to apologize to Chaka!" Luffy added seriously, nodding his head with resolve. Coby didn't think Killer was apologetic type.

Coby left the table, making some excuse of wanting to get to class early. Luffy waved goodbye. Usopp chased him down to give his glasses back. Coby gave him a quick thank you and ran off.

The secret of Killer's gun laid upon his mind like a dead weight. He couldn't shake it off. Every little noise the echoing bang of that gun. At each bang a dead eyes stared up at him. Coby felt sick to his stomach. He couldn't turn to anyone for help.

Throughout his day his teachers asked him if he was okay, if he wanted to go to the infirmary, and Coby lied each time. He said that he was just stressed, or didn't get enough sleep.

He was such a coward.

* * *

The next day passed without worry. The school engrossed in an uneasy peace. The story of Killer's attack on three students passed quickly. Buy the fifth day of school it was practically a legend, with five different variations, each more outrageous than the next. Some students hoped that he was expelled, and not just suspended.

* * *

Luffy and Killer stared at one another, on opposite ends of the wide, empty white room. Akainu's stern gaze never leaving either of them.

Luffy was more frustrated than he could ever remember being. He wanted to talk with Killer, but talking was against the rules of suspension. He shifted in his seat, anxious to be out of suspension. The day before he got into a fight, and his grandpa caught him. Now he had to waste a perfect sunny Saturday in suspension.

During suspension you had to sit quietly in the blandest room imaginable with no windows and cheap florescent lighting. The only remotely interesting thing was a black fly that continuously rammed against one of the long lights. Even that got boring after a while.

I'd rather read books, Luffy thought to himself, more bored than he could possibly handle. He tapped his foot on the floor, jittery from being so still for so long. Akainu barked at him to stop. He drummed his fingers against his desk. Akainu barked at him to stop.

Hours passed by, each one longer than the last. Luffy had entertained himself with thoughts of lunch and dinner. Glancing occasionally at Killer in curiosity. The masked boy was reclined back in his desk, his head dipped forward. Of course he could get away with sleeping. Luffy thought about calling him out on it.

Akainu glanced up from a pile of papers to eye them skeptically. Waiting for them to break the rules.

"BurlurpBurlurp, BurlurpBurlurp." The den den mushi on Akainu's desk rang. He put the receiver to his ear.

"Sakazuki, Dean of Discipline."

"Akainu!" Came the urgent reply of one of the school secretaries, "a Devil is rampaging on the school grounds!"Shouts of teachers and students could be heard in the background. Ending with reeling high-pitched screech that made Luffy's neck hair stand on end.

"What!" Akainu ground his teeth together.

Luffy leaned forward in his set, his eyes lit with excitement. Killer lifted his head, listening intently. Akainu swore under his breath, looking at the two boys then back to the den den mushi. A devil, on rampage?

"Please hurry Sakazuki! It's attacking the girl's dorm!" Without another word Akainu slammed the receiver down, the screams of terror ending abruptly. And he rushed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Luffy bolted from his seat, pulling on the doorknob. The dark brass wouldn't budge an inch, Hotdog had locked the door. "Dammit!" Luffy shouted, "Something exciting happens and I'm not there!"

"So it's true. That forest really is a Devil's Forest." Killer commented, getting up from his seat to stretch his arms and legs.

"I want to fight a devil!" Whined Luffy, slumping down into the nearest seat.

Killer paced around the room, even trying the doorknob himself. He beat his knuckles against the wood, deciding if he could break it down or not. Not, he decided and took a seat not to far from Luffy. He turned to Luffy, asking with mild interest, "What are you doing here anyways?"

"You need to apologize to Chaka!" The boy shouted out of the blue.

"Who?"

"Chaaaaakaaaaa" Luffy said more slowly.

"I heard you the first time idiot. Wait..." Killer remembered why he was sent to this place a week ago. "Was he that kid who's leg I messed up?"

"Apologize to him," Luffy said stubbornly. "And then I'll forgive you."

"You'll forgive me?" Killer motioned towards his chest. " I don't have to listen to you. I don't apologize to anyone. Why do I need your forgiveness?"

"Because we're friends." Luffy said matter-of-factly.

"Don't call me your friend!"

Killer attacked Luffy, punching him repeatedly in the face. Taken by surprise Luffy had little time to counter, and took many hits before he could kick Killer off him. Luffy attacked back, and the two boys went at it. Punching and kicking, evenly matched.

Eventually it turned into a wrestling match, one trying to get the edge over the other. They knocked into the walls, and toppled desks. By the time they broke apart, breathing heavily, the room was in total disarray.

Luffy started to grin.

"What are you grinning about." Killer demanded from where he lay on the floor. This kid was crazy.

"You're pretty strong! I... haven't wrestled since the beginning of summer! You're not as rough as he is though. He really beats me when we wrestle."

If Killer was curious who this "he" was he hid it very well. When he looked at the clock only an hour had passed. It felt much longer than that when they were fighting. How did they even start to fight? Akainu left because a devil left the forest, leaving them alone.

"Akainu said that devils never leave the forest." Killer said. He may hate Luffy but there was no reason not to get some information from him. "I've heard of Devils leaving their forests before, why is it strange that they don't leave their forest here?"

Luffy thought for a few seconds. "I don't know. Gramps told me that the devils here stay in the deeper parts, and that they never venture out of their woods. Dammit! I really want to fight a devil! Stupid Halloween mask."

"Don't blame me!" Killer snapped. "It's your own fault you got sent here."

"Long hair." Luffy retorted in what was intended as insult.

"At least insult me properly." Killer heaved, laying back against a upturned desk. It hurt his back, but he didn't care.

"Hedgehog hair."

* * *

"What the hell." Akainu said upon his return to Third Dorm. "The two of you fought in here!"

"No." Killer said.

"Yes." Luffy said.

"I'm adding two more nights to your suspensions. Clean this place up. I want every desk back in it's place. And while you're at it clean the floors."

Despite being forced to clean the room Luffy still had that infuriating grin on his face. That stupid grin made Killer so mad, he wanted to shoot that insulting grin right off the boys face. Never had any person stood up to him, challenging him like Luffy did.

They worked on the room for a hour when Akainu stopped them. Their punishment for the day over. He lead them downstairs to the lunch room where they ate a quick dinner and sent the two to their rooms. Surprisingly they put up little effort. Akainu was sure Luffy would give him some kind of trouble. Whenever that boy had a grin on his face he was always about to do something incredibly stupid.

But the two boys gave him no trouble and he went to his own room. Turning on the den den mushi security camera, the snails eyes projecting an image of the two main halls of the building onto the wall.

He stayed up for two hours, switching between work and watching the halls. Around midnight with no caffeine to keep him awake he started to doze. Then slipping off into dreamless sleep.

It was also around that time that Monkey D. Luffy snuck out of his room. Luffy stole his way across the halls, jumping from shadow to shadow. He fancied himself a spy from an intense action movie. He carefully opened the door to each room, checking if it was Killers. Around the fourth or fifth door, seemed more like seven to him, he found Killer awake, and laying on his bed.

"Hey, I'm going to go into the Devil's Forest. Want to come? It'll be a real adventure."

"Are you sure you want to be alone at night with me?" Killer huffed.

Luffy grinned broadly. "Sure! I'm not scared of the dark."

"Heh." Killer jumped off his bed, "Fine, I'm in."

* * *

"What do devil's eat?" Luffy questioned aloud.

"Hell if I know." Killer said, his shirt caught on a thorny bush. Luffy pushed aside tree branches, sneezing when a silky spiders web rubbed against his nose. Killer fared worse than Luffy in the forest. He wasn't used to all this... nature.

Luffy looked like he was born in the forest though, moving with animal-like ease between the branches and rocks. Killer stubbed his toe on every root, cut his arms on every sharp branch and managed to walk into every bug and spider in the whole damn forest.

"Maybe if we made some noise then the devils will think we're food." Luffy suggested. Killer pointed out that the noise could attract Akainu as well.

They ventured deeper into the forest, the trees condensing together, underbrush becoming more, and more scarce. During the day one could see for miles through the trees, but under the dim light of the moon they could only see what was right before them.

Luffy let himself be guided to a murmuring brook, it's benign waters flowing across the shallow valleys of the forest floor. Luffy turned around to ask Killer if he knew where they were but Killer was gone.

* * *

Losing Luffy in the forest was too easy. Killer cut through the thickening underbrush, stumbling across the flat ground of the open peninsula. The dorms were easy to spot, even in the near darkness. He put on a burst of speed, each step taking him closer to leaving this school for good.

"_Hey, how'd you like to come to my school? It's a reaaaaal good school. I'm sure that you'll make some good friends theeeeere."_

It was that damn principal Kizaru that forced him to go to this school in the first place. Friends? He didn't need friends. What good were friends anyway? They'd only betray you in the end.

"_The only way you won't go to a detention center is if you come to my school. At least give it a try, it doesn't hurt to trrrrry."_

Killer didn't need people. He didn't want people. He was going to take his gun and kill that stupid Monkey boy. Then he'd not only be out of this school but he could get rid of the single greatest annoyance he had ever encountered.

There was no way that principle could cover up a murder on his own ground. Hell, why should he even get caught? With Monkey boy in the forest, it would be easy to hide the body, and he could make a run for it. No one would bother looking for him.

He turned immediately left from the front of the dorm, following along the side until he found the bush where he hid his gun. His hand groped the dirt and clutched around the firm metallic handle. A quick glance around, securing his secrecy, he ran down the dirt road that lead to Shabondy.

Holding the gun a new thought came to him. Did he even have to kill Luffy? The boy was heading into a dark, deep, demon infested forest. Maybe he didn't have to do anything at all, Luffy was stupid enough to get himself killed. Devils were powerful creatures, even he didn't want to fight against one.

"Hn? Who the hell are you?"

Killer skidded to a halt, seizing up the man on the road before him. He was young, about Killers age and had deep set eyes with no eye brows. His bright red hair muted in the moonlight.

"I thought students weren't allowed to be outside at night." The boy snidely remarked. He was dressed in dark cargo pants the bottoms tucked into well worn boots. An unbuttoned camouflage jacket placed over a black shirt.

"What about you? Aren't you a student here?" Killer noticed a white bag slung over his shoulder, the school's symbol, a seagull over a curving 'M' on the side.

The boy grinned. "I am."

Killer's fingers clenched around the hilt of his gun. What was with this guys attitude? He wasn't intimidated by him, like everyone else. People feared him, they new his face, and stayed away from him.

They regarded each other in silence. The red haired boy seemingly amused by him.

"Who are you supposed to be anyway?" The red haired boy laughed, the sound a vague reminiscent of a hyena's giggle "Aren't you dressed up for Halloween just a bit too early?"

"Shut up." Killer said darkly. "Or I'll kill you."

"Kill me?" The red haired boy said. A sudden change passing over him. A strange look in his eyes, a wild look that infringed upon madness. His posture shifted slightly, as if habitual, and with the most subtle of movement he became positively dangerous. "I'll warn you once, don't get into a fight with me."

"You bastard. Don't tell me what to do!" Killer pulled his gun and fired.

"Repel."

A sharp pain slashed across Killer's check. Blood trailing form the scrape, and dripping out from under his mask. He felt the long crack in his mask. His fingers tracing the bullet hole. How? His gun flew form his hands, and straight into the hands of the the red haired boy across from him.

"You couldn't have picked a worse weapon to use against me." The red haired boy shouted, aiming the gun at Killer. Bang! Killer ducked out of the bullets path, the bullet whizzing over his head. How! He ran forward, tackling the red haired boy.

Before Killer could even get his bearing he was face first into the dirt, his mask cracking from the pressure thrust upon it. His arms pinned behind his head, as the red haired boy's knee dug into his lower back.

"Who... who are you?"Killer grunted, releasing a hiss of pain.

"Eustass Kid." The red haired boy grinned. "I told you not to fight with me. Consider yourself lucky to be alive."

* * *

"Killer! Kiiiiiiillleeeeeerrr!" Luffy shouted as he ran through the forest. If Killer was fighting a Devil without him he was going to be really pissed! Luffy has search in vain for a Devil to fight. He'd never seen a Devil before but they were strong and that's all he needed to know.

Deeper into the wood her heard a branch snap. Eager that he had found a Devil he followed the sound, and ran straight into his Grandpa and Kizaru. Luffy swore, backpedaling into a mad dash away from his grandfather.

Garp grabbed hold of him before he could get away, and Kizaru had a ominous glint in his eyes.

"My, mmmmyy! What do we have hereeee? Is this Monkey D. Luffy I find, not only outside of school grounds at night but in the Devils Forest as well?"

"You better have a good reason for this." Garp growled.

"I'm looking for a Devil." Luffy said quickly. "I want to fight a devil!"

"Idiot!" Garp throw Luffy head first into the ground. "You're way to weak to fight a Devil! Only senior students who have proven themselves are allowed to fight against Devils!" Garp scowled deeply, rubbing his head where a deep gash cut across his skull, still fresh with blood. "Wants to fight a devil. You wouldn't be saying that if you saw the damage the one attacking the school did!"

"I want to fight a devil!" Luffy said persistently, picking himself up from the ground.

Kizaru let out a long sigh. "That Devil is long gone Garp. We might as well head back to the school. As for Luffy, he can help repair the girls dorm as his punishment."

"Bah," Garp spat as he lead Luffy out of the forest. "It's not like he learned his lesson going to Third Dorm anyways. You better work hard Luffy, and your grades better not drop!"

* * *

Coby crept down the stairs of the boys dorm, where most of the freshman boys were waiting. It was past midnight but none of the teachers forced them to bed. Everyone was anxious about the attack. Coby's knees trembled at the thought of it.

Some boys had over heard the teachers say that the Devil ran when the Principal attacked, and could come back. The word was spread in milliseconds everyone was in panic. Many boys demanded to go home, that they didn't want to got to a school right next door to a forest of monsters.

Their Student Council President, Hawkins, Coby recalled his name as, spoke to them all but words were hardly comforting. He told them that there was a 75% chance of another attack. That was the limit for most boys, even upperclassmen started to feel the heat.

One of the teachers, Scratchman Apoo tried to keep everyone's spirits up, demonstrating his Devil power. While terrifying, and devastating to the school the attack gave new found respect to those who had the powers of Devils. Devils were not invincible.

Coby looked for Luffy among the gathered boys. He had disappeared that morning and he was starting to feel worried. Killer's gun flashed through his thoughts.

The doors to the dorm opened and every head turned to see who it was, needing something to take their minds of the attack. Coby nearly peed his pants as Killer came through the door, mask cracked, and his white shirt covered with dirt. Following behind a red haired demon.

The teachers looked anxiously at one another, clearly disturbed by the appearance of the two boys. Coby thought it was Killer they were worried about but it was the red haired boy behind Killer that made the anxious.

"What's going on? Did Kizaru say 'fuck it' to all his rules?" The red haired boy laughed dryly.

"Well if it isn't Kid!" Apoo broke the grave silence of the teachers. "I thought you dropped out."

"What?" Eustass Kid laughed, "And miss out on all the fun? I just had some business to take care of. I want to know why everyone's huddled down here like scared rabbits."

Apoo solemnly shook his head. "A Devil came out of the forest and attacked the school."

Kid let his shock show on his face. "A Devil came out of the forest! Ha! Guess I already missed all the fun! So that's why everyone's still up. They're all scared a Devil will come and eat them in their sleep. Devils love easy prey. Little freshmen are like snacks to the them."

Coby trembled where he stood. Who was this guy? He was twice as terrifying as Killer! Coby pressed himself against the wall, wishing he could vanish.

Killer slid past Coby, glancing at him casually, then walked up stairs. Kid watched him go up and yawned.

"Heh, do what ever makes you feel 'safe'" He smirked. "I'm going to get some sleep."

Coby ran from the staircase, falling amongst his peers. No one laughed at him. As Kid passed him, he smirked, sending a child down Coby's spine. What was Marineford? Coby wondered to himself. A school boarded by a forest of Devils, filled by students with killer auras? This was not going to be a normal school year.

"Alright boooooys!"

Every turned to the face the front door as Principle Kizaru walked in, followed shortly after by Vice-principle Garp and student Monkey D. Luffy.

Kizaru nodded to the teachers, "We checked out the forest and not a Devil in siiiiiiight. You boys can rest easy for the niiiiiight. Teachers, if some of you could stay the night here that would be much appricateeeeed."

"Luffy," Garp said after a sharp nod to Kizaru, his mind at ease knowing the students were safe. "You're coming with me back to Third Dorm. Where you will be explaining to Akainu where you've been all night."

"I'm staying here!" Luffy tried to say but Garp dragged him off. Luffy tried to get away from his grandfather but needless to say, he failed.

* * *

Trafalgar Law looked up from his desk, all the lights save for his desk lamp were off. A dusty medical book, excavated from the lesser used parts of the library lay open upon his desk. Page after page riddled with intricate diagrams of the human body.

Eustass Kid walked through the door, acknowledging Law with a wave of his hand, and he flung himself onto his bed. Trafalgar watched as he looked about the room, completely out of place with his surroundings.

Trafalgar turned back to his book, but before continuing his work he said,

"Welcome back."

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Was it good? Was it bad? I spent ages on this chapter! Revising it multiple times. Please review!


	6. Alvida loves fruit

Chapter 6: Alvida loves fruit

* * *

"Hey! Luffy!" Nami called out, a plate of hot pancakes in her hand. "These pancakes are great! Too bad you can't stop to eat!"

"No fair!" Luffy whinnied, hammering a nail into a plank of wood. He stood on a wooden scaffold ten feet from the ground, repairing a broken wall on the northern side of the girls dorm. He wasn't alone, other boys and even a few teachers were assisting the effort.

Though they got to take a break and eat breakfast. And since this was Luffy's punishment he wasn't allowed to stop until dinner.

Nami grinned, and took a bite from her plate, savoring the warm, buttery taste. "I'm kidding! I stole these for you! But it'll be 100 beri a pancake got it?"

Luffy jumped down and eagerly took the plate from her, scarfing the food down. Nami took the plate when he was done, playfully punching him in the arm. Reminding him that he owed her 400 beri. She talked with him for a while, once looking at the gaping hole in the side of the dorm.

The attack was so sudden. Her gaze shifted out, focusing on the open field separating the school from the forest. Chunks of dirt and grass clawed out of the earth, scars in the grass marking the beasts tracks. Luffy followed her gaze, wishing more and more that he could have been there. Nami wishing just the opposite.

She left Luffy, letting the boy get back to his work. He couldn't slack off for too long after all. She'd hate to get him into trouble.

It was a lazy Sunday morning, the sun shinning bright as ever. Nami shielded her eyes from the sun, wondering where such a nice day came from. Maybe she'd get permission to go to Shabondy and do a little shopping. Robin might go with her. She started to plan her day out, wandering into the commons of the girls dorm.

Conis walked past, carrying a plastic container.

"Hey Conis!" Nami greeted, "Where you going?"

"I got permission to visit Chaka in the Hospital. Pell too. I'm taking some cookies to him."

"Oh," Nami sighed inwardly, she was hoping Conis would go with her to town as well. "I hope he recovers soon!"

"Yeah, me too."

Nami watched Conis leave, feeling slightly envious. She really wanted to get out but what was there to do? A trip to Shabondey seemed terribly boring now. She laid down on a couch, lazily wondering what she was going to do next.

She didn't have to wonder long. The adventure came to her.

Junior girl Alvida, on her pudgy legs, joined Nami on the couch, effectively taking up more than half of it. Nami crawled to the other end, and even thought of jumping over the back. Alvida was nasty bully, especially, strangely enough, to boys. She more or less respected the other girls, so long as they didn't mess with her.

"I've heard much about you Nami, word on the grapevine is that you are an excellent thief." Alvida smiled at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nami said cooly, trying to appear uninterested.

"Don't play dumb. Listen, I have a job for you. Could get you some quick cash."

"Beri?" Nami squealed, a spark shining in her eyes, "Do tell! Do tell!"

Avlida laughed, surprised at how easy it was to get Nami in on her plan. "It's simple really. I'm buying a Devil Fruit illegally."

"A devil fruit? Illegally!" Nami looked skeptic and shocked at the same time. Alvida nodded.

"I have some connections on the outside, they found me a guy who can get me one, but you see... the price he's charging is... a bit out of my range."

"How much out of your range?" Nami questioned, already knowing her part in this plan.

"He's demanding ten times as much. Though he doesn't know this. I come from a wealthy family you see, but because of some... incidents the last few years my family has cut me off. So that's where you come in. You'll help me steal the fruit from him and I'll give you the money I was going to pay him."

"How much." Nami asked the big question.

"10,000 beri."

"When do we start?"

* * *

"And what do I owe the pleaaaaasuurree, of this visit? Mr. Morgaaaaaan?" Kizaru said to the man sitting across from his desk.

Captain Morgan, a tall bulky man with short blond hair and a tan completion scowled. He stroked his wide chin in effort to calm his nerves before answering. "I've discovered a rat, Kizaru. One of my men stole a Devil Fruit and is bringing it here. Know anything about it?"

Kizaru's eyebrows arched in shock, this was an interesting bit of news. Very interesting. "I'm afraid not Capt. Morgaaan. But if you'd liiiike, I can have our security officers-"

"I want to find this rat myself, Kizaru. He's supposed to be here today, if our information is right, and I personally want to bring him to justice."

"If you insiiiiist." Kizau sighed, "But please take care of things quieeeetly. The school was attacked by a Devil reeeeecently, and I don't the students more scared than they alreeeeady are."

"Of course." Morgan gruffed. He stood up, shook Kizaru's hand and walked out the door. A secretary asked him if he wanted coffee and he declined the offer. Another told him that his son was waiting outside for him.

Capt. Morgan left the secretary office with a foul taste in his mouth. His son, Helmppo, practically ran to him across the room to greet him. The boy's eyes shinning in foolish bliss. The boy, maintaining as much dignity and distance he could but his unwavering love showing through, bowed to his father.

"Father!" Helmppo bowed again, trying to conceal his excitement. "Did you get my calls? I was starting to think that you-"

"What do you want." Morgan said sharply, walking down the hall. Helmppo ran after his father, struggling to keep up with the man's brisk pace.

"We-well, aren't you here to see me? I've been calling you for days and you've never..."

"I'm here on business."

"Oh..." Helmppo said, the disappointment in his own voice shocking him. "But father! There's this rude girl who's always bossing me around and beating me up! I keep telling her that I'm your son but what does she say? She says, 'I don't care who your father is!' She says foul things about you father. But if she'd see you then she'd never say a bad thing about you again!"

"I don't have time for your insufferable blabbering!" Morgan shouted. Helmppo cringed. His father was more tense than usual, his eyes bloodshot. "Leave me to my work! I'll deal with you later." And Morgan stormed down the halls.

"Y-yeah." Helmppo stopped walking, watching his father's back. The words "Justice" in kanji inscribed on his father's back. "We'll talk later... for sure."

Helmppo scuffed his feet against the white tile floor as he wandered the halls of Marineford. His hand's stuffed into his pockets and his head hung down. He wanted his father's attention. He wasn't betrayed, nor felt hurt, or at least he tried to tell himself that.

Did his father get any of his calls? It's only been two weeks since he's seen his father, and his father told him to never call when he was working. Was it wrong for a son to want to see his father? Maybe if he did something amazing them his father will want to spend time with him.

Helmppo raised his head, a new energy bloating his confidence. But what could he do? He could defeat Roronoa Zoro in a battle! Zoro was the school's strongest swordsman after all! But, he was weak. He could never win against Zoro in a fair fight. Or Alvida! She was always saying bad things about his father. If he could beat her than that would be just as good too.

Only, he wasn't strong enough to fight her either. Or, or, or, he thought devilishly. He could get them to fight each other! And then, when the winner will be tired from the fight, challenge them and claim the ultimate victory! This was perfect! Now all he had to do was find Zoro and Alvida and bring them together.

He turned, and ran down the hallway, back the way he came and charged into First Gym. Zoro was always training in the weight room.

* * *

Nami and Alvida walked across the open lawn beside the school to Second Gym, an outlaying building to the right of the school and the closest building to the Devil's forest. A half-sized track field between it and the edge of the forest. Since the attack all classes in Second Gym have been canceled. This was where they were to meet their man.

"Wait a second." Nami stopped halfway down the field. "Are we sure we want to meet this guy, just the two of us? I mean, were are about to con him out of his own sale. He's surly not going to take nicely to that."

"I'm not afraid of him." Alvida said stiffly, continuing on. "If he tries to pull any kind of shit on me then I'll break every bone in his body and throw him into the forest."

Nami started to get a bad feeling about all of this. It had bothered really from the beginning but 10,000 beri was too much to give up. What if this guy had a gun? If so there was no way they could stand a chance. Nami ran in front of Alvida, forcing the larger girl to stop.

"Let's at least get some protection against this guy. For extra security."

"And who do you suggest?" Alvida said.

Nami glanced around, trying to come up with a name, she saw the outside door that lead to First Gym and got her answer. "Zoro! Roronoa Zoro! He is the school's strongest swordsman."

"And you can get him to agree to protecting us?"

"Yep! He owes me after all!"

Alvida thought it over and decided it was a good idea. If the man didn't take kindly to her trick then he could damage or even eat her precious Devil Fruit.

The two girls jogged back to the school, Alvida stopping periodically to catch her breath. Nami got to the door first and ran inside, turning immediately left and going into the weight room. Alvida not to far behind.

Inside she slammed into the back of a lanky boy. Together they fell to the ground, the boy's head smacking against the bar of a weight.

"Damn you!" The boy crawled out from beneath Nami. "That hurt!"

Nami ignored him, looking around the room for Zoro and found hin in the corner, lifting 100lb. Weights. "Zoooroooo!" She squealed. Zoro's head snapped up with a comical 'oh great... it's you' expression. "I need a favor!"'

"I'm training." Zoro growled at her, speeding up his lifting in a vain effort to drown her out.

"No way!" Helmppo shouted at once, pushing Nami aside. "Zoro, I need your help!"

"What could you possibly want with his help!" Nami pushed Helmppo back and the two started a vicious fight of shove and push. Alvida ran in, leaning against the all as she caught her breath. Bent over at the waist. Ready to move again she separated the pathetic fight and approached Zoro, kicking the weight from his hand.

"Me and Nami here require your assistance." She frowned. They didn't have much time to waste, it's half past noon, they were to meet her man at one.

"I don't have to listen to you." Zoro said, picking his weight back up again.

"Avlida-sama!" Helmppo crawled away from the group, what did she want with Zoro? He hastily pulled himself up, fixing his skewed shirt. His plan was going faster than he anticipated. "Wh-what's going on? What do you want with Zoro?"

"I asked you first." Nami jabbed him in the chest with her fingers. "Anyways, I found him first so you can just scram."

"Oi!" Zoro shouted, all the yelling was starting to give him a headache. "I'm not doing anything for anyone. I'm trying to train here. So all of you can get lost."

"Are you interested in earning some money?" Alvida asked Zoro. The green haired boy turned his back to her. "You..." she growled, not appreciating Zoro's answer.

A heavy silence followed Alvida's words. The two girls and Helmppo knowing that they were not getting anywhere in their negotiations with Zoro. The boy only had an interest in training and there was nothing they could do about it.

Nami eyed Helmppo, trying to pry into his mind and discover his reasons for seeking Zoro's help. She whispered to Alvida the idea of telling them their true motives. Alvida immediately argued against it and they debated for several minutes on the other side of the room.

Helmppo, seeing the two girls distracted made his way over to Zoro. "Hey, you've heard of Alvida right? How she's really strong, right?"

"What's your point."

"Wouldn't she make a good opponent to fight against?"

"I have no interest."

"Alright Zoro!" Nami kicked Helmppo aside, "Last year, during the freshman/sophomore festival. Need I say more?"

A vein throbbed on Zoro's forehead and the weight fell from his hands.

"You wouldn't..." He glared at her. He always knew she would use that day as blackmail against him. Even though she swore many times that she wouldn't. That sneaky thief.

"Listen." Nami sat down cross-legged in front of him, getting down to business. "Me and Alvida require you to come with us to Second Gym for half an hour. After that you're free to leave. You don't have a choice because if you refuse to go then I'll personally make sure that your little secret is known throughout the whole school."

"Nami you bi-"

"Second Gym is closed!" Helmppo cut Zoro off. "Why'd you want to go there? It's right next to the forest!"

Alvida patted Helmppo on the shoulder, a nasty grin on her lips. "Why don't you come with us and find out. I think you'd make a perfect lookout."

Thus Zoro and Helmppo were forced into joining the two girls on a questionable quest to Second Gym.

* * *

The four students hastily made their way across the field to Second Gym. The girl's eyes wondering to the torn up ground around them. Nami never felt such awe and fear of the forest. To think, that last year they even played in the outskirts, running between trees and picking flowers.

Alvida talked about her freshman year, how they took hikes through the woods. The trips stopped when the teachers noticed something odd about the forest. Like there was a, disturbance. The statement made creepier when only those with Devil powers could feel it. She even told a story about a student that went into the forest on a dare, only to come out screaming later. Shouting stories of walking skeleton.

Nami nodded her head. Probably the most famous story involving the forest was about a vengeful spirit that possessed the skeleton of a dead man and haunts the forest. Another story, though less popular was about a devil deer with a creepy, childish laugh.

They stood against the wall of Second Gym, the yellow stone building two stories tall, towering over them. The side was empty stone save for the southern side which had wide, wooden double doors. Alvida said that her man was to meet them on the side facing the track field.

Helmppo was shaking at the knees, the stories of ghosts and walking skeletons adding to his fear of the forest. Zoro wandered around close by, three wooden swords strapped to his side, half expecting a Devil to attack.

They walked around the building to the western side and found Alivda's man waiting for them.

He was dressed in a gray sweatsuit with dark gray trimming. His short black hair pushed out of his face by a sweatband similarly colored to his outfit. His eyes dark and edgy. "Alvida?" He said looking to Nami. And tensed when Zoro came around the corner, his eyes switching from the boy's swords to the two girls.

"That would be me." Alvida took a step forward.

"You're different than I imagined." He man said lightly. "Anyways, let's make this quick shall we? You toss the money to me and I'll toss the fruit to you."

"How do we know the fruit is real?" Nami questioned, moving beside Alvida. "Devil Fruits are hard to come by."

"I can guarantee it's authenticity. I got it from a Marine headquarters. Now give me the money and let's get going on our merry way shall we?"

"I want to see the fruit first." Alvida insisted. The man sighed and opened a brown bag that lay at his feet. He pulled out a bright orange fruit resembling an avocado with swirls.

"Beautiful." Alvida exclaimed, she moved closer, hoping to touch the precious fruit. The man hit the fruit away and demanded his money.

"Let's discuss money then." Avlida said, standing closer to the man, Nami right beside her smiling cutely. "100,000 beri is a bit extreme." Alvida shifted herself so that at any second could jump between him and the bag.

"Hardly." The man said, "Devil Fruits go for 1,000,000 beri and I would charge that amount if I didn't want to get rid of this one so fast. Now enough of this small talk! Give me my money or I'm getting out."

While the man talked Nami discreetly slid to the side and reached for the bag at the man's feet. Alvida continued to distract the man and Zoro figured out why they wanted him to come along. He didn't know the full story but could tell that this was some shady deal going on. He gripped the hilt of his swords, ready to jump into action.

Helmppo squinted his eyes at the man, not seeing Nami taking the Devil Fruit from the bag or Alvida talking to the man, thoroughly distracting him with questions. The man, appearing angrier by the second. There was something... familiar about him.

"You want to see the fruit again?" The man said in an effort to convince Alvida. "I'll-" He reached down for his bag, and saw the sack was flat. Empty. He grabbed the bag, throwing it aside and cast his piercing gaze at the three students. Where was the orange haired girl?

"You bitch!" He screamed, punching Alvida in the stomach. The flaccid girl, to his great surprise, not only blocked his punch but sent one of her own back. He jumped aside and saw the orange haired girl hiding behind Alvida. "You tried to trick me!"

"We _did_ trick you." Nami winked, handing the fruit to Alvida.

Alvida laughed, elated that her plan had worked "I suggest you get out of here before we beat you senseless."

"Bitches, all woman are bitches." The man muttered, more to himself then them. He unzipped his sweatshirt and pulled a gun out. From the corner of his eye he saw a flat, thin, object fly at him and he jumped back.

The green haired kid had attacked him with a wooden sword. The man laughed when he saw the kid's other swords. Three? A sword in each hand and even one in his mouth? Surly this kid was stupid or something to hold a sword in his mouth.

"That's it!" Helmppo shouted from the sidelines, hand over his chest. "He's Gin! An ex-marine who killed twenty men when he deflected!"

"What!" Nami shouted, "He killed twenty men!"

"That's right!" Gin shouted, confirming Helmppo's accusation, "Do you want to know why I killed them? Because they betrayed me!"

Nami did all but faint and fully hid herself behind Alvida, shouting, "Just what kind of connections do you have!"

Gin fired five rounds at Zoro, the boy running out of the line of fire. He raised two swords for a horizontal strike when a bullet whizzed past his head. The shot didn't come from Gin, but from behind him.

Captain Morgan, gun in hand stood just behind his son. His eyes went from Gin to the Devil Fruit in Alvida's hands. He spoke in normal tone, but there was nothing normal about. It was angry beyond all reason. "I knew you were the one who broke into my base, Gin."

"Father!" Helmppo exclaimed. What was... So this was his father's business. He came here to capture Gin... and get the Devil Fruit back. He could use this to his advantage. Since Zoro wouldn't fight Alvida, he could get the fruit from her and give it to his dad.

He started to inch his way forward, trying to be discreet like Nami. Gin wasted no time on pleasant chat and fired five rounds at Morgan. The Marine Captain, lunged forward, grabbing Helmppo by the back of his shirt and holding the boy before him.

Four rounds burred into Helmppo's skin at his shoulder, his side and two in his thighs. Gin bolted for the forest, reloading his gun as he ran. Morgan gave chase firing his gun, each shot missing. In the forest, Gin dodged around the trunk of a tree and fired back.

Nami gasped in horror, her hands over her mouth. Helmppo's body writhing in pain on the ground. Captain Morgan was his father right? Then why did he use his own son as a shield.

"Don't stare!" Zoro yelled at her as he ran past her to Helmppo. "Go get the nurse!"

Nami nodded absentmindedly, her legs not moving. Zoro shouted for her to get going and she took severl unsteady steps back then turned and flat out ran. She sprinted off, running back to First Gym and from there to the nurses office.

"I kept telling him that his father was a no good bastard." Alvida said.

Zoro tore of parts of his shirt, using them as makeshift bandages for Helmppo's wounds. She dropped her fruit, a deep bite taken out of the side. And faced the forest, where faint sounds of gunshot could be heard.

Unconstrained rage came over her and she ran for the forest edge. She didn't stop or slow down to catch her breath. Fueled by rage there was nothing that could stop her. Thinking as she went, _they better pray I didn't get an ability to completely annihilate them.

* * *

_

If he could, he would come back to kill those two bitches. Gin thought bitterly as the Marine Captain chased him through the forest. He ran down the edge, not daring to venture too deep in. It was a Devils Forest after all.

"Get back here Gin!" Morgan shouted, reloading his gun, the discarded shells clustered together on the ground. Gin had hid himself away amongst the bushes. So the bastard was going to run away. "When I find you, you'll suffer hell!"

The Marine, turned circles where he stood, listening intently for any sound of movement. To his left branches snapped and leaves rustled, creating more noise than a hiding man would never dare make. Curious, he waited, listening as the sounds came closer.

"Morgan!" Alvida screeched, barging into Morgan's little clearing. "Why did you do that! He was your son! He loved you, you bastard! He fucking loved you so much. Not a damn word from that boys mouth ever disrespected you, he always went on about how great you were! Why did you use him like that, then just throw him away!"

"Why?" Morgan said. "Because he was a worthless son. Looks like I got some use out him after all."

"Bastard!" Alvida cried out, tears in her eyes. "I'll make you pay!"

A gun fired from the bushes. Morgan cried out in pain, holding his bleeding Jaw. The gun falling from his hands. Alvida searched for the bullets origin when a bullet hit her shoulder and skirted across her arm before sliding off.

She bit her lips, a red, thin welt throbbing painfully where the bullet hit her then trailed off her skin. Was this the work of her Devil Fruit? She had no time to question when another shot hit her stomach, doing the same thing as before.

One hand holding his jaw and the other reaching down for his gun Morgan was knocked down by Alvida. She grabbed his gun and when a third shot hit her leg, she fired right where it came from.

Did she get him? The wind blew, stirring the forest. Was he gone? Or merely waiting. Morgan groaned behind her and she focused on him.

She turned on Morgan, who was profusely bleeding from his jaw. He glared at her through one eye, daring her to try something against him. He attempted to get up and she pounded her foot into his stomach, feeling satisfaction from the pain she gave him.

He grabbed at her leg, trying to twist the skin and muscle, but his hand slipped off her. She loaded his gun aiming it between his eyes.

"What would be a proper punishment for filth like you?" She asked. "How about being shot for every time Helmppo was. That's four times if I saw correctly, but that alone won't be enough for me. I want you to lose something very useful to you."

And she grabbed his arm, extending it out and pinning it against the ground with her heel. He tried to grab her but his hand kept slipping off.

"I'll have you arrested!" He shouted at her. "No one humiliates me!"

She shot him four times in the hand.

* * *

Kizaru walked through the Devil's Forest, a talk lanky man wearing brightly colored clothes like the plumage of a tropical bird followed close behind. His eyes were shaded by a pair of heart shaped glasses and wore a purple and green striped hat.

"Mr. Principle." Jango muttered fearfully, every shadow an arm reaching out to grab him. "What are we doing here again?"

"To find Captain Morgan of coooourse." Kizaru replied.

"I know that but why do _I_ have to come." Jango regarded the forest around him with utter fear. He could feel the Devils thirsting for his blood.

"This waaaaay." Kizaru continued his trek through the woods, and quite suddenly stumbled upon the body of Captain Morgan. Jango screamed bloody murder, falling back on his rear end.

"Captain Morgaaaan? Kizaru lightly kicked the stagnant body of the Marine Captain. The man groaned and his eyes sluggishly opened.

"You..." He trailed off. Blood coated his face and neck, and had seeped through the front of his shirt. His eyes shifted, going in and out of focus. Sweat drenched the sides of his face.

"Who did this to yoooou, Mr. Morgaaaan." Kizaru questioned calmly, sounding uninterested in Morgan's answer.

"One... of your... students." Morgan hissed through his teeth.

"Hmmm, that coooomplicates thiiings." Kizaru shook his head, as if a great sadness had occurred. "Mr. Jaaangooo. Please hypnotize this man into thinking he was attaaaaacked by the man whom he came here searching fooooor."

Jango sent Kizaru a questioning glance. He wanted him to do what? Even Morgan looked shocked, but was too exhausted to say a thing about it.

"You seeeee," Kizaru started to explain, to both Jango and Morgan. "I love my students sooooo much. I'd hate for baaaad things like being arrested to happen to annnny of them. Don't worry though, I'll be sure to punish that stuuuuudent."

Morgan's mouth gaped open and closed, objecting Kizaru's scandalous plan. Kizaru prompted Jango to do his work and the teacher did as he was told. When his work was done Jango dryly muttered,

"First week on the job and all ready I'm being forced to be a hypnotist again."

"This was a speeciaaaal case." Kizaru said to comfort him. Together they carried Morgan's body out of the forest and to the nurses office.

"We can't have any incidents this year."

* * *

Nami and Alvida sat side by side outside the Nurses office, a heavy silence over them. Their Principal and a teacher they didn't know came down the hall, carrying Morgan's body.

"I wonder..." Alvida mused. "How he's going to take this."

"What happened to that man? Gin." Nami questioned, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer or not.

Alvida shrugged, "I don't know. After I dealt with Captain A-hole in there, in my rage I forgot about him. Sounds pretty lame right? I think he escaped."

Nami shuttered at the thought of a killer running lose in the forest. She wondered if she should tell the Principle what had happened. She couldn't just keep quiet about a mad man running a mock in the forest.

"Tell me giiiiiirls." Kizaru literally materialized out of thin air before them. Nami shrieked in surprise, falling over in her chair. Alvida manged to keep her cool, just barely. "Who hurt Captain Morgaaaaan?"

"I did." Alvida answered instantly, not afraid to hide her crime. "And I'll gladly do it again."

"Come with me theeeen." Kizaru motioned for her to follow him. "And we'll discuses your puuuunishment."

"Let's hang out some more," Alvida said to Nami over her shoulder as Kizaru walked her away. "We make a good team."

Nami smiled in return. Alvida was actually a pretty cool person, when you got over her looks and domineering personality. Though. Nami wondered for ages that night and well into Monday morning:

Didn't she have freckles?

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Like the chapter? Then please Review! I really need the feedback, it really helps me understand how I'm doing. Critiques are perfectly acceptable and encouraged! Please tell me if anything seems odd or funky.

More one-shot chapters similar to this for a little while, just little things in between the big plot chapters. They're to give a little more explanation into the school and it's workings.


	7. Another view of a Sunday

Tally Mai-chan: Sorry for the late update! It seems I want to write anything but this story, I do love it! Don't get me wrong but as I start to work on it I think of a great idea for another story or feel like reading something else. But I somehow found the time to write and revise this. So thank you for finding time to read (and hopefully review!) it!

Also, I'm looking for a beta. Again. I had a beta but she had too much else to do and had to drop the story. So if any of you reading this think "hey, I could beta this story out of the kindness of my heart and ease the suffering of the writer who goes crazy trying to make sure everything is perfect for those who read it, I could totally do that!" So if you have that thought, or anything along those lines please send me a PM!

Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Another view of a Sunday

* * *

Friday-

Conis sat attentive in the soft plush chair before the school Principal. When she was lead in by a secretary with long pink hair and sharp purple eyes, the Principal motioned for her to sit down while he finished writing on a piece of paper.

He wore the same suit as he always did. Fine Italian make, bright yellow with golden stripes running vertically. It was a very handsome suit but the Principal didn't seem to understand much about style and wore a vibrant purple tie with it.

"So Miss Coniiiiis." The Principal smiled cordially at her, giving his full attention. "What can I do for yooou?"

"I would like a pass for me and a friend, Alubarna Pell, to visit Alubarna Chaka in the hospital."

"Ah yes, Mr. Alubarnaaa. He's doing quite fiiiiine, but a visit from some friends would suuuurely boost his spiriiiits." He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out two white forms, neatly filling each out. He handed them to Conis and told her that she and Pell had permission to leave the school but must secure their own means of travel.

He suggested the tourist bus from the city that often made trips to Shabondy.

Conis thanked him and left the Principals office. Outside Pell was standing still by the door, resisting the urge to pace. Victoriously she showed him the forms and he joined her in celebrating. A high five, followed by a fist bump, a tradition started by Chaka. They agreed on Kizaru's suggestion of using the tourist bus. Though they had to be extra careful about not missing it.

Conis ran back to class, for she used her lunch period to get the permission slip from the Principal. She wanted to do something for Chaka, something that will let him know that they were thinking of him, even when he wasn't with them.

She'll make him cookies.

Sunday-

Conis pulled the oven door open, standing off to the side so not to be blasted by a wave of heat. Using the oven mits she pulled the steel tray out, covered in a generous amount of mouth watering, just-gooey-enough, but not too much, cookies.

She packed them carefully in a plastic container and glanced at the clock. 10 am. The bus was going to arrive in an hour, and it was a 45 minute walk to Shabondy. She hastened out of the kitchen, making sure her permission form was tucked away securely in her pocket.

Nami walked into the commons making eye contact.

"Hey Conis!" The orange haired girl smiled, seeing the container of cookies in Conis' hands. "Where you going?"

"I got permission to visit Chaka in the Hospital. Pell too. I'm taking some cookies to him." Conis smiled fondly at her labor. Chocolate Chip was Chaka's favorite.

Nami's face fell, slightly taken back. Conis wondered if she said something wrong. "Oh... I hope he recovers soon!" The girl said brightly, all traces of disappointment gone from her expression.

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

Conis and Pell walked down the dusty road that lead to Shabondy. Pell keeping a steady, wary eye on the forest. Conis wondered how Chaka would react to the news of the Devil's attack on the school.

Shabondy was a small town residing along the coast of at the base of the peninsula. There was no beach but a sharp cut off twenty feet down to the ocean. A pleasant sea breeze floated through the town, built under tall, towering trees over fifty feet tall. Dainty branches high up the trunk filtered the yellow light of the sun into tranquil green.

Each building in the town was curiously circular in shape, the buildings holding a flow of smooth curves, hardly a straight line on any of them. The brightly colored structures ordered around a central plaza at the center of the town. Places of note were the grocery, a clothing store, bookstore and a cafe. There was also a bar at the edge of the town, the only square shaped building in the whole town.

All the teachers at Marineford made residence here, being close to the school for easy travel, the easy going atmosphere of the town didn't deter them either.

Conis noticed, as the two of them walked down the main road of town, a tall woman with long black hair that looked like the new English teacher.

"Isn't that Miss Hancock?" She asked Pell.

He nodded in agreement, watching with her as the teacher walked into a clothes store. Conis felt a sad air about the teacher, she couldn't quite pick out the exact feeling. The regal woman was not acting like her normal self.

"Come on," Pell urged her, "Our bus is going to leave soon."

* * *

Boa Hancock searched through the shelves and racks of clothes the same way she would leaf through a English textbook. Finding nothing of terrible interest and looking for the sake of looking. Though granted clothes were not as intricate as a great novel of literature but textbooks had a way of writing in layman's terms, drowning the study of English.

"Hello Miss Hancock." Nico Olivia poked her head around a rack, holding a silver cardigan to her chest. "It's so strange to see a teacher outside the school."

"You're a teacher yourself are you not?" Hancock said curtly. Nico Olivia laughed, remarking that she was indeed.

"It's been very strange for me. To see all my co-workers living together in such a small town. I found a charming apartment just a few minutes from here, and as it turns out five other teachers from the school live in the same building! It's like a dorm for teachers."

"Is there any reason why you are talking to me." Hancock addressed the other woman haughtily. She had no patience at the moment for meaningless chatter.

"You don't have to be nasty." Olivia lifted a airy white dress up, examining it on all sides. "Tell me, has something been on your mind recently? Many other teachers have noticed that you've been a bit... how should I put this? Out of touch with reality? You don't seem to care about your students at all, letting them do as they wish in the class-"

"Are you accusing me of not doing my job?" Hancock glowered at Olivia, her face livid with rage.

"Hancock..." Olivia was not moved in the slightest by Hancock's anger. "Let's go get lunch!"

Boa Hancock rejected the offer initially. But Olivia was persistent, hounding Hancock even as she left the store and hurried to her house at the end of town. And the woman finally gave up, ungracefully agreeing to have lunch with Nico Olivia. Though it was more like an early dinner by the time the history teacher managed to convince Hancock.

"I have worked hard the past week. Did Kizaru ask you to talk with me. I will not be treated this way. With suspicion and distrust." Hancock said immediately after the waiter left with their order. They sat outside the only cafe in a small courtyard encased by a waist high iron fence. Sitting across from another at a small, two person table made of iron twisted into intricate patterns.

"Hancock, please listen to me. No one is saying that you're not doing your job. You are a very achieved woman! A Masters degree in Literature and English. You are famous for your essays on feminism and the role of man and woman throughout history. I'd say that you're over qualified to teach at a high school. You should be at a collage!

"It's just that, Mr. Borsalino thinks that there is something bothering you, you haven't been acting yourself. You have such a dynamic personality that to see such a sudden and unprecedented change in attitude is startling. He has a sincere concern for your welfare."

Hancock had come to the school, full of confidence, burning with ambition and grace that she could have been mistaken as one of heaven's warrior angels. She was through with her teacher, making sure the concepts being taught were understood and rooted into the student's mind. She had, within the course of week, become noticeably withdrawn. A woman to whom the words 'withheld' or 'shy' held no meaning, hid inside a shell.

It was during the past Friday, where the teachers had come together to celebrate the end of the first week that Hancock's behavior was unnervingly obvious. She was always the center of attention, relished in being in the lime light. And she sat the whole party out in a remote corner, talking to no one.

Hancock had, since her failed attempt to seduce Luffy, the one man to ever resist her, searched in vain for a way to make him succumb to her. But what could she do after her first attempt? Everything she thought of could accomplish no more than what she first tried for, and failed to do.

At this grim conclusion she forced herself to give up. To abolish the boy from her mind, and her life. Only he was there, every morning in her class. To overcome this she ignored him completely, sending him on pointless errands or tasks only to get him out of her class. Something he was almost too willing to do.

But that boy refused to leave her mind! Why him? Why now during a critical time in her life?

"Hancock." Olivia kindly took Hancock's hand in a gesture of comfort. "Let's chat, woman to woman. What's bothering you."

Hancock, a brash, proud woman would never seek another's council but this was too over her head. She couldn't spend the rest of the year like this. Someone high up would catch on eventually. No, she should take this opportunity. It was a blow to her pride to admit it but Monkey D. Luffy was a problem she couldn't solve, or get over.

"I seem to have gotten on the wrong foot with a student." She said simply.

"I see..." Olivia said, nodding her head in some silent agreement. "What seems to be the matter?"

"I guess it could described as... lack of respect."

* * *

Conis and Pell were overwhelmed by the crowds of people and doctors, skirting pas one another in the cramped halls. A petite nurse in pink scrubs did her best to keep them in line behind her as they navigated through the halls and maze of people.

After going up to flights of stairs, down a hall, down one level, across another hall and back up two flights they finally arrived at Chaka's room.

"Conis! Pell!" Chaka greeted from his bed, grinning broadly. "Thank god you're here. I thought I was going to die from boredom! There's nothing to do and all the nurses are too busy."

Pell gave Chaka a high five and Conis presented her container of cookies, to which Chaka gladly tore into. He went into a short rant about the food the hospital has been giving him. He said that he missed the school food, occasional burnt pancake and all. When he asked if anything happened while he was gone Pell and Conis exchanged quick looks.

"Well..." Conis said slowly. Then told him of the attack on the school. Chaka listened intently, showing his shock. A Devil attacking the school. He asked them a lot of questions, if anyone was badly hurt, did it really destroy the girl's dorm. Pell told him that only a few were badly injured but nothing the school nurse couldn't handle. The girls dorm taking only minimal damage.

"Chaka," Conis glanced sideways at Chaka's roommate. Trying not to be rude as she nodded her head at the rooms other occupant. A ragged man, with dark sunken eyes continued to sigh, staring out the white curtained window with listless eyes. A scar ran down his face and his entire left arm was completely bandaged. He didn't seem to notice them.

"I don't know much about him." Chaka grimly told them about his roommate. There was a hesitance in Chaka's voice that made Conis regret asking about the man. "He mostly just sits and stares out that window. He came here a few days after I did, I remember the nurse carrying in some of his things. There was a pictures of a woman. It think it's his wife, at night he says her name in his sleep. I think he came from the war."

Conis and Pell stayed with Chaka for three hours, filling what time they could with card games or just talking. Chaka said that his leg was healing fast and in a week or so could come back to the school, but he'll have to be on crutches for long time.

* * *

Conis and Pell stepped off the bus, quickly scooting to the side so five or six tourists could board. The bus stop at the end of town was empty, a small booth inside of a metal awning.

Shabondy was always particularly beautiful in the evening. The sun setting across the horizon, warm orange light wrapping around the buildings in a soft, subtle glow. Conis admired the way the town was lit up in golden light, the overshadowing trees darkened, like the sky above them. Like Shabondy transformed into a beacon of light in a dark world.

They walked down the main street, wanting to get back to the school before dark but also wanting to linger in the town. There was a strict curfew placed after the Devil attack so this could be there last chance to see the town in it's most stunning moment.

Down the road they observed many of the town people heading straight to a small side street, all wearing the same serious expressions. Pell craned his neck to see around the throng of people massing around what appeared to be a pet food shop. Curious the two students pushed through the crowd, ashamedly excited at this grim event.

Pell edged his way through two men, making way for Conis to squirm through. At first Conis thought that they went the wrong way, that the people couldn't be possibly interested in the building that she saw. It was old, very old. The boards covering the windows halfway rotted. The front door un-boarded, but chipped wood and nail holes suggested that it once was. The green paint, once vibrant and fresh as grass, faded by time to dingy greenish-gray. A sign saying "Pet Food" in big red letters hung above the door, the wooden sides chipped and worn. The red lettering hardly legible.

She never noticed this building before, being like this since she came to Marineford as a freshman. Pell shrugged his shoulders at her, not getting it either. It wasn't until two men in black suits, one carrying a sleek black briefcase did something happen.

The man carrying the briefcase held it close to his chest, both hands clutched tightly around the handle. He looked nervous, eying the empty, black doorway. The other man, taller by a few inches was more confident, talking strong fast strides to the door.

When they came within five feet of the house, a small white dog jumped through the the front door, barking threateningly. Briefcase man stumbled back, using the briefcase as a shield. The other man tried to grab the dog and was bitten on the hand.

"What's with that dog?" A woman in the crowd commented. "That place has been closed for ages. A company from the city bought it you know." To which her companion nodded, adding in her own info.

"I heard that those man are here to inspect the building, making sure it's okay to tear the place down. They got halfway through when that dog came and attacked them!"

"That's the ex-mayors dog isn't?"

"Something's possessing that dog!"

"Someone call animal control!"

"All this over a dog?" Pell said quietly to Conis. She nodded not sure how she should feel about this. A new business coming into the town was good right? But why would that dog attack these men? If it was vicious it would be attacking other people too wouldn't it?

The two men in black suits backed away from the building, standing on inner edge of the crowd. The dog huffed in satisfaction and walked calmly back into the old building. It circled three times in one spot and laid itself on the floor, it's head resting within the door frame.

"I think... it's protecting that building." Conis said to Pell. "It only attacked when those men got too close, then when they left it stopped barking."

"Why would a dog protect a building?" Pell asked, she didn't know the answer.

The two men left, arguing with each other in hushed, but angry tones. Soon the towns people too left, continuing on with their daily lives. Pell and Conis lingered just a bit longer, the dog watching them from the doorway.

"I heard..." Conis said hesitantly, "a woman say that that dog hasn't left that building for days. It must be hungry." She looked at Pell almost pleadingly. She had a soft heart when it came to animals. Pell rolled his eyes and suggested they get some food quick before it got late.

They went to a small 24-hour convince place and bought a bottle of water and small bag jerky (they couldn't find anything better for substitute dog food) and when they got back to the old building an old man was already there.

He had the strangest hair, resembling the hair of a poodle, and wore casual, lose clothes and red sandals.

"Here, Chou-chou," He set a bowl of water and dog food before the door frame. "I heard about what happened earlier. It's been hard on you hasn't it?"

"Who is he?" Conis whispered to Pell.

"I don't know but he must be the dog's owner. Maybe he can tell us what's going on. Excuse me! Sir!"

The old man looked up from where he sat crouching and watched the two students come closer. The dog, Chou-chou, growled when they were a few feet away, and Conis hesitated.

"Were not here to cause trouble." Pell explained, to the old man. "We just want to know what's going on. We saw what happened earlier and heard that the dog hadn't eaten in a while and we brought food but I guess you already did that."

"You youngsters, you go to the school don't you?" The old man asked. They nodded. "Ah, well I'm sure you'll be hearing about it soon enough."

"What do you mean?" Conis asked.

The old man gave the good dog a pat on the head before standing up to talk to them properly. "There's a company in the city called Wapol Konzern that bought this store. They want to turn it into a steel shop. Though it wasn't just Wapol Kozern behind the decision, the mayor and even your school Principal agreed that it was a good idea to have such a prestigious company set up shop here. All in all it would be great for a little town like Shabondy, we get most of our resources from the city but have to travel there each time. Now we can just go to this toy shop/steel shop and order what we need."

"That doesn't explain this little guy." Pell said with a nod to Chou-chou. Conis gave the dog a comforting smile and asked the man if she could pet him.

"Not up to me, Miss, ask him." The old man said.

"I'm a friend. I won't hurt you." Conis told the dog, holding her hand our for him to sniff. The dog stretched it's nose to her hand, taking careful sniffs then licked her hand. Conis scratched Chou-chou behind the ear and the dog closed it's eyes, enjoying the attention.

"Chou-chou belonged the owner of this pet store." The old man said with a sigh, his sad eyes remembering unhappier times. "He was a good friend of mine, and he was very hardworking. Bought this place second hand, and worked real hard to restore it. It was a more of a mess back then that it is now. Business was terrible, hardly sold a thing. But he worked hard every day, doing his best to keep this place alive. Then... one day he became ill and went to the hospital in the city. He said to Chou-chou that he'd be back and when he was they'd work extra hard."

"Your friend died in the hospital didn't he." Pell said, several moments after the man stopped talking. Conis listened carefully, sorry to hear of the old man's loss. Even Chou-chou was solemn, his head lowered with respect.

"Chou-chou knew his owner had died, but he still protects this place. The store his owner worked so hard to keep and run. (Sigh) These past years have not been kind to this place."

"You poor thing." Conis was extra sure to give Chou-chou plenty of love, rubbing the little dog's warm belly. "You don't want to see the store your owner worked so hard to make destroyed."

"The name's Boodle." The old man held out his hand for Pell to shake.

"Pell, and this is Conis."

The old man looked up an the darkening sky, it was close to eight pm. "It's going to be dark soon. I'll give you kids a ride back to the school if you want, my truck may not be the best but..."

"Would that be okay?" Conis asked, not wanting to get in trouble with the school.

"Can't be too careful, news of the attack has hit the town pretty hard. I'm sure old Borsalino wouldn't be too upset. Let's get going then."

During the drive back to school Conis constantly thought of little Chou-chou. There had to be something she could do.

Something...

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Chapter 7 and there's plenty more coming! Please review! Tell me your reactions! Your thoughts! Am I doing a good job writing the story? Do you think everyone is in character? Your input is really important to me!

Chapter 4 Omake

Inspiration: Typing error I made in the first draft

Luffy read the front of the news paper.

"High school student kills mom."

"What!" Luffy exclaimed. "He killed a mom?"

"Not just any mom." Law said. "He killed one of the most dangerous types of mom. A soccer mom."

"No way!"

"Yep. Went to a soccer game and little Jimmy's mom didn't like his attitude. He didn't like little Jimmy's mom and-"

"Man, this guy is hard core."


End file.
